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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26053333">Legacy: Volume 1</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riggy_Minus/pseuds/Riggy_Minus'>Riggy_Minus</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Legacy [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fable (Video Games), Fable 2 (Video Game), RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover, Friendship, LGBT characters, Minor Original Character(s), Multi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:22:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>54,913</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26053333</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riggy_Minus/pseuds/Riggy_Minus</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ruby Rose, lost to her family a decade ago, finds herself leading a team with a self-made champion, a boy trying to live up to the stories of his ancestors, and a girl determined to right the wrongs of her past.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blake Belladonna &amp; Jaune Arc &amp; Pyrrha Nikos &amp; Ruby Rose, Lie Ren &amp; Nora Valkyrie &amp; Weiss Schnee &amp; Yang Xiao Long, Ruby Rose &amp; Yang Xiao Long</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Legacy [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1891255</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. And So Our Story Begins</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24861475">SAPR: Volume 1</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScipioSmith/pseuds/ScipioSmith">ScipioSmith</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So, uh, there's been enough interest that I'm going to try actually committing to writing this series. I've had a lot of fun already writing what I have, and wow, I really do write a lot for it. This series is a crossover/fusion between RWBY and the Fable game series, though it leans heavily on RWBY, with elements of Fable crossed over into the show's canon and lore. </p>
<p>As always, feedback is adored. Any comments, reviews, criticisms, concerns, anything that you write down, is a huge booster and helps out a ton. </p>
<p>Thank you for reading, I hope you'll enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>"Long ago, before the four Kingdoms, before Dust, before the very moon was made unwhole, the world was united beneath a single great nation that spanned the whole of the land. The name has been lost to the endless passage of time, but we call it </span>
  </em>
  <span>The Old Kingdom.</span>
  <em>
    <span> Before even that, there were the two Gods, who were content to let their greatest creation, humanity, settle their great lands."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"But if it was so great, why did it end?"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Theresa looked down to the young girl sitting in her lap, face still partly concealed by bandages covering a nasty head wound that accompanied her great fall. The elderly woman offered a smile, though she didn't laugh at the question, so innocent in its frankness. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Like all things do, it ended with the pride of humankind. The last great Archon died, and his widow, beset with grief, sought out the ancient gods who created us. When they refused to give in to her demands to return her beloved, she was filled with rage and pride. In her hubris, she sought out men and women from the four corners of the land, and had them construct a great spire, said to grant its user whatever wish they desired."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"What did they wish for?" The young redhead chirped, squirming a little in her seat on the old woman's leg. Her curious expression fell after a moment, and she looked as though she was about to cry. "If I had anything I could wish for, it'd be my family again."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Patience, little one. I know you miss your family, I miss mine, too. It'll be okay, though, I promise. Until you find them again, the Caravan will be your family." The blind woman gave a kind smile, which the child nervously returned. "Now, back to the story."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"No one knows for sure what happened that day, a top that great monument to the hubris of mankind. Some say the Archon's widow wished for the end of the world that had taken her beloved away, others suggest the Gods of Light and Dark were so incensed by her actions that they struck down the world they had let flourish, leaving only remnants in its wake."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"What we do know, is that the world that once was was shattered by the actions of those who sought to surpass the Gods, and we were left lesser for it. The great Powers of Will that had once held together cities that stretched to the sky, a single united kingdom where people might have flourished, was taken from us, and the world that once was collapsed with its absence. In a single moment, everything that humanity had was taken from it, and the knowledge lost in the collapse was immense."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"All that remain now of the world that was are ruins. Ruins, and stories. Fables of what once was. Tales of a girl in a tower, of two brothers, of the wandering man. But there is one other thing, left behind so long ago, that we still carry as well." </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"What is it?" The girl asked, head tilting slightly to the right. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Our Will. Our souls. Some call it Aura, now, but make no mistake, it is our Will. The very strength of our souls exerting our Will upon the world, expressing divinity in the absence of gods. Weaker, perhaps, but for some bloodlines, it burns bright. One simply has to teach them how to tap into what is already there."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Do you think I can be like that, Miss Theresa?"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Oh, little Sparrow, I know you can be." </span>
  </em>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>The streets of Vale felt narrow, after so long on the open road between cities. Ruby knew the feeling would fade, were she to stay for long, but there was something about how the Kingdom’s capital was built that felt so uncomfortably cramped. She would never have gone so far into the city, especially not this late at night, if not for Theresa’s insistence that she purchase some Dust for the Caravan. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was unusual, to say the least, but Ruby couldn’t really disagree with the blind woman. The only issue was, she had no idea where to find a store that sold Dust this late in the day, and she really hated wandering this far inside the megapolis for which the Kingdom of Vale took its name. At least with the sun having set, there weren’t so many people out on the streets, or it would’ve been a truly miserable task to be sent on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Honestly, it would probably help is she had a scroll or something to actually look up what stores were open, but she didn’t, so she just wandered the eastern end of the commercial district, nearer to the gate where the Caravan had parked itself. She was beginning to grow frustrated by her tireless search, when she finally came across what looked like a promising opportunity. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"From Dust Till Dawn,” the short redhead read aloud, approaching the store with her a pep to her step. Opening the door, Ruby peeked her head inside, looking around for an employee. "Hello?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The teen was greeted by a most unusual sight. An old man was behind the counter, hands held in the air, while a man donning a black suit had a gun to his face. Beside him, stood an impatient looking man in white, wearing a black bowler cap with a red stripe. Around the store, other men in suits were gathering Dust from tubes filled with the finely grounded mineral. The man in white let out a sigh, before sauntering over to the door with a rather annoyed look on his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, kid, if you don’t mind, we’re a little busy.” The green-eyed man said, tapping his foot impatiently as he gave Ruby a dismissive look. “If you could maybe come back later, that’d be nice.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Um…” Ruby was really at a loss for words. This was probably the closest to a stereotypical hold up she’d ever seen. Out in the wilds outside of the Kingdoms, when bandits were robbing someone, they usually didn’t think to leave them alive. Ruby wasn't exactly sure what to make of the situation at hand, but if she was to guess, Theresa had probably known this was going to happen, and that's why she'd directed her there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Come on, kid! I said scram!" The thief repeated, frustrated by the dumb look on her face. He probably wasn't expecting the sudden clash of her forehead to his nose, or he'd have brought his Aura up. Staggering back, blood trailing down his face, the white-coated man (though it was solidly ruined by a stain of his blood now) raised his cane towards Ruby, teeth clenched in frustration. "What the hell is wrong with you, kid? Don't you know who I am?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Not really!" Ruby replied cheerfully, tapping into her semblance as she drew Intrepid Rose from her back, the gust of petals she had become reconstituting behind him. Aiming at the back of his knee before he could react, Ruby fired her high-caliber pistol-sword, the bullet thankfully not breaking his now active Aura, but still sending him buckling downwards onto one knee, a loud gasp escaping his lips. "But I do know you were robbing this guy, and I don't really think that's okay."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Now hold on a-" Before the thief could get out a full reply, Ruby fired again, this time into his back, the 12.7mm Fire Dust bullet exploding against him and sending him out the open door and leaving him prone on his back, only a pained groan escaping his lips as Ruby turned her attention to the other robbers, none of whom looked particularly sure what to do with their boss currently indisposed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Um…" A nervous chuckle escaped Ruby's lips as she looked around at the well dressed thugs, who finally seemed to be going for their weapons, save the one still handling the shopkeeper. "Do you want to take this outside? With all the Dust around, we don't want anything to, uh… kaboom!" Ruby made a childish explosion sound effect to accompany that last word, wiggling the fingers of her free hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The five suited men shrugged in agreement, which elicited a smile from the diminutive redhead before she turned back into a gust of petals, launching herself outside and into the empty streets. A few people were looking on from across the road, but there luckily wasn't a big crowd. No big crowd meant she didn't have to worry about raising too many eyebrows, but even then, she wouldn't use too much in the way of Will, not when Theresa had explicitly forbidden her from showcasing too much power. The world wasn't ready, according to her mentor. Ruby wasn't sure she agreed with that notion, but she wasn't going to go against the advice of a woman literally as old as the city she was standing in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The thugs gathered near their boss, who was struggling to stand up, his hat crooked on his head as his chest rose and fell with paggered breaths. Looking at his goons, the man's eyes widened with exasperation. "Well? Get her!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ruby smirked at the uncoordinated display as the fancy thief's thugs charged at her. There was a brief display if concern that they might not have strong Auras, before the redhead dismissed that with the decision to merely attack with the blunt end of her weapon and try not to shoot them directly anywhere they'd miss. Aiming behind herself with Intrepid Rose, Ruby pulled the trigger just as she kicked off with her matching foot. In a blur, she swung upwards, the blunt end of her pistol-sword smashing against the side of the first goon's neck, sending him crashing to the ground as what scraps of an Aura he had broke. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While she was still airborne, before his compatriots could react, Ruby brought Intrepid Rose over her left shoulder, before firing twice and reversing the direction of her spin, the blade of her pistol-sword cutting through the flimsy red machete the thug held just before her left hand clocked the side of his head. As he started his drop to the ground, Ruby's foot kicked off his face, furthering his descent as she leaped higher into the air. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another two shots sent her crashing to the ground in front of the third and forth goon, who were too caught up being startled they didn't try evading her as she struck their guts roughly with the top of Intrepid Rose's barrel. As they dropped, she stood up as tall as she could, an admittedly not very imposing 5'2", but that was more than enough to give the last of the thief's thugs a severe glare. He fumbled with the pistol in his had, and Ruby raised her pistol-sword, firing one last shot that clipped him in the shoulder, bringing him down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Darn it!" She exclaimed, pouting. "I was aiming for the gun. How cool would that be, getting to shoot the gun out of someone's hand like that?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Um, kid?" The thief did not seem to share her enthusiasm whatsoever at all, giving her a deadpan stare while she chuckled nervously. "Look, clearly you must be new in town, Red, or you would know not to start something with Roman Torchwick. Life isn't some kind of action flick, a kid like you tries to take on criminals like me, you're going to go home in a bodybag."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that, the now identified Roman raised his cane, the bottom popping open and leaving a convenient reticle for him to aim at Ruby. He pressed something, though she couldn't be exactly sure what, and a blazing micro-rocket, which reminded her a bit of a firework, launched out. An arrogant smirk covered his face, something Ruby was sure because he thought he had her cornered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unfortunately for him, he did not. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ruby raised her left hand in front of her, channeling Aura into it, focusing her Will as she brought up a barrier of solid air, glowing a faint red. She heard Roman laughing like a huge jerk, presumably at what he believed to be her demise, or at least maiming. He shut up quick enough as the smoke dispersed with the strong gust of air that accompanied Ruby's semblance, the short redhead reappearing before him with Intrepid Rose coming down in a wide slash.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The thief was quick enough to raise his cane to block it, showing the weapon to be of a sturdier material than his cohorts, but Ruby quickly put him on the retreat, releasing a flurry of semblance enhanced strikes with a blur of rose petals. Letting out another frustrated groan, Roman managed to disengage, Ruby losing her footing as her strike passed through where he should've been. Hearing a click, she shot up as quick as she could, prepared to block from an oncoming attack. Instead, she saw Torchwick dangling near the top of the fire escape of a neighboring building, hands gripped around his cane, which was apparently also a grappling hook. Noticing she'd spotted him, Roman gave a wave and cocky laugh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> was starting to get on her nerves. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Turning into a blur of petals, Ruby was quick to take after him; it was feeling more and more personal each second, and she wasn't going to let him go. Reaching the top of the roof in just a few seconds, Ruby looked around, glad to see there would be no witnesses up here, in case she needed to lean a little more on her Will than on Intrepid Rose. "Hey!" She called out, earning a grumbling sigh from the well dressed thief, who turned around to look at her. "I don't think we're done just yet!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Not done yet? Gods, kid, you really have no idea who you're dealing with." The smirk Roman gave Ruby was suitably slimey, in her opinion, but she really wasn't expecting a small aircraft to rise up from the other side of the building. Seriously, where had they been hiding that thing? Oh gosh she was getting too distracted trying to work out how they'd managed that, he'd actually gotten on board. "End of the line, Red!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not if she had anything to say about it! Just as he started to throw one of the crystals of Dust he'd lifted off the shopkeeper of From Dust Till Dawn, electricity started to arc up and down Ruby's left arm. She was just about to let loose an attack of her own when an unusually dressed blonde woman intervened, forming a barrier with the use of Dust. Ruby wasted no time dawdling about, even if she had to resort to using her pistol-sword instead of her Will, now that more people had arrived.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jumping back a few feet, Ruby raised Intrepid Rose, taking a few potshots at Roman, though all she succeeded in doing was removing the man's hat from his head. He made his way into the cockpit of the small craft, presumably for back up if the woman who replaced him was anything to go by. The blonde, who Ruby had decided was a Huntress, if the flashy Dust sorcery was anything to go by, seemed focused on bringing down the craft, a bit too recklessly judging by the debris being created by her attacks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The redheaded teen decided to focus on trying to take down Torchwick's reinforcement, who was wearing a rather fancy dress. Taking a few shots with Intrepid Rose, Ruby was surprised to see the woman put up a barrier that blocked her attack. It wasn't that such things were impossible, or even improbably, and had the woman just used Dust, she wouldn't have been at all concerned, but Ruby felt it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That woman had used Will like Ruby did, not completely, it was definitely supplemented with Dust, but she had tapped into the more primal power, forgotten to humanity after the fall of the Old Kingdom. Before she could afford a chance to ponder this, the fancy woman in the aircraft started on a more powerful spell, one that Ruby could </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel</span>
  </em>
  <span> the very vileness of its intent. Theresa had spoken of how spells could be fueled by how good or wicked a person was, but this was the redhead's first exposure to such a thing, and it proved to be enough of a distraction that the Blonde woman had to push her out of the way, using what Ruby guessed was probably her semblance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fire exploded from the ground where the two had stood, and in the time it took for them to recenter themselves, the getaway vehicle had made its escape. Being left alone with the rather tall blonde woman, who looked not at all happy to see her, Ruby did the only thing she could, and blurted out the first words she could think: "are you a Huntress? Can I have your autograph?"</span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>Of all the things to happen when going to get Dust for the Caravan, Ruby really hadn't expected that getting </span>
  <em>
    <span>arrested</span>
  </em>
  <span> was how things would go. At least, she assumed that's what had happened, given how she was locked in a small room with nothing but a table, two uncomfortable chairs, and a dim light. They'd even taken Intrepid Rose from her, the jerks!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As much as she hated it, there was little more that she could do than sit around, twiddling her thumbs until someone would come to see her. Was she going to get charged with something? It wouldn't be the first time that a Caravaneer had been spuriously charged, though usually it was Faunus members of the clan, not the human members. Sometimes there wasn't much differentiating, though, so the redhead supposed that this might be that sort of occasion. That was more for the outer cities, not the capital itself, but even here discrimination was a problem, if the stories Ruby had been told be some of her peers were accurate. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door to the room opened, and the tall woman from earlier, who identified herself as one Glynda Goodwitch, entered. She was an admittedly stern looking woman, enough that Ruby felt a little timid around her, though the riding crop didn't help. Seriously, who uses a riding crop as a weapon? That was clearly for intimidation and no other reason.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I hope you realize that your actions tonight will not be taken lightly, young lady." Glynda scolded, Ruby's eyes following her as she walked a circle around the small table the redhead was seated at. "You put yourself and others in great danger."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What? No I didn't!" Ruby insisted, shaking her head furiously. "I even made sure to bring the fight out of the Dust shop, so that it'd be safer."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That doesn't mean others weren't in danger! A little more force and you may have killed some of those men." The older woman insisted, slapping her riding crop against the table, which earned a startled squeak from Ruby. "If it were up to me, you'd be sent home with a slap on the wrist, but… it's not up to me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman opened the door, letting in a middle aged man with silvery hair, holding a plate of cookies and a mug of what smelled like hot cocoa. The man gave Ruby a strange look, as though he was seeing a familiar face for the first time in many years. After a moment of silence, as though he was processing an unusual sight, he spoke. "Ruby Rose." Ruby felt a lump in her throat on hearing that name. Yes, it was hers, but no one used it around the Caravan, they just called her Sparrow like Theresa did, even Scythe would never use her full name. "You have silver eyes."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh, um…" Ruby retreated away from him as best as she could, eyes wide with confusion. She knew she was from the island of Patch, which was a part of the Kingdom, but how did this man know her name? She couldn't even remember much of Patch, just trees, and the cliff. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"My apologies, perhaps introductions are in order?" Ruby numbly nodded, the man taking the seat across from her and placing the cookies on the table. She reached a hand out tentatively, earning an affirmative nod from the silver-haired man, and took one of the treats from the plate, taking a nervous bite. They were surprisingly good! Still warm, maybe not fresh, but reheated.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Do you know who I am, young lady?" The man seemed a bit surprised that Ruby shook her head, though he took it in stride, continuing on the conversation without missing a beat. "I am Professor Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh. That was, uh, very important. Way more important than some simple robbery gone wrong. Ruby shifted awkwardly in her seat, taking another cookie. “Um, it’s nice to meet you, sir?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello.” Ozpin greeted her, offering a kind smile. “I know that you were just doing what you thought was right, but I do have to ask, how did you learn to fight this way?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“An old man who travels with our Caravan.” Ruby answered, the response one trained many years ago, in case anyone asked about Scythe. “He’s a really good warrior, but I don’t think he’s really a Huntsman. I think he’s older than the Great War.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really? That’s quite fascinating. I do wonder if I might’ve met the man.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I, uh, I don’t think so!” Ruby squeaked out, shaking her head rather vigorously. “He’s a very private person, I don’t think he likes the Kingdoms very much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, I suppose that many who travel the Caravans don’t like the way their people have been treated in the past. I can hardly blame them for their hesitancy to trust us.” The professor lamented, before taking a sip from his mug. “Of course, that does leave me wondering, Miss Rose. Why were you in Vale tonight? We are thankful for you stopping that robbery, of course, but it is most curious.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, well,” Ruby wasn’t sure exactly how to answer this, given how much she was certain Theresa had planned for this to happen, but she would do her best. “My… caretaker asked that I get some more Dust for the Caravan. We don’t often visit cities so large as this, so we were hoping for cheaper prices than we might find in the outer towns and cities.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, of course.” Ozpin offered another smile, nodding slightly. “Miss Rose, I have a question for you. It might seem a bit strange, but how would you like to attend Beacon Academy in the upcoming academic year?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glynda looked rather taken aback by the suggestion, at least, that’s what Ruby thought by the expression of shock and frustration on her face. Ozpin gave her a look, and the blonde woman let out a huff before leaving the room. Turning back to Ruby, the man gave an almost sheepish chuckle. “Do forgive Glynda, she never approved of my… fast and loose interpretation of the rules.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s, um, it’s okay.” Ruby shrugged, not really sure how to respond. “I, well, I’d be honored to attend your academy, but…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t know if that’ll be okay with your Caravan.” The silver-haired man gave an understanding nod. “I know that your clans are often like great families, I wouldn’t seek to deprive yours of one of their own unless it is okay. This is the number for my scroll, if you come to a decision, no matter what it is, please, give me a call within the week. Classes are starting soon.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Presenting Ruby with a small paper card, Ozpin began to stand up, before the redhead sheepishly replied. “Um, sir. I don’t actually have a scroll. I don’t know how I can contact you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll take care of that, then, Miss Rose. Don’t worry.” He insisted with a kind smile. “We don’t need to keep you here, do you have somewhere to go?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I, um, I think someone will be waiting for me in the lobby.” Theresa always did have the weirdest ways of just… being where she was needed.</span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>Relying on the light of the moon, high in the sky, Jaune crept his way through his house, coming to a stop at the door to his little sister’s room. Ever since the incident six months ago, Indigo had been different. He had, too, but he wasn’t worried about himself. He was only worried about his sister. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could see the light on in there, another late night his sister was spending awake obsessing over legends. Jaune would never blame her, of course. They had both undergone great changes because of her disappearance, she had become obsessed with understanding the past, while he had doubled down on his desire to become a Huntsman. At least he finally had one supportive sibling, so he did his best to support her, too. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pushing the door open, he offered his sister a sympathetic smile as she looked up, adjusting the frames of her glasses. "Hey, Indy. How are you?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm okay." She probably wasn't, going by the bags under her eyes. She'd been staying up late at night like this ever since last September, reading old myths and legends, books she'd scoured from dusty corners of Domremy's libraries. She gave a yawn, before a frown marred her face. "You're really planning on going, then?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jaune didn't realize what she was talking about until he noticed her eyes had drifted towards the suitcase in his left hand. "Yeah, I am." He replied solemnly. "Dad made it quite clear that he didn't care what I thought, and mom has only gotten more doting, of the both of us."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Do you really have to go, though?" His sister whimpered, standing up slowly and making her way to the door, bringing Jaune into a tight hug. "I don't want to be alone here. None of them understand, they just think I was scared by a Grimm."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You won't be alone, Indy." Jaune insisted, kneeling down to look his sister in the eye. "We have our scrolls, and the CCT signal has been strong. We can call every night, okay? You're a couple hours ahead so class should be fine."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you really sure it'll be okay?" Indigo asked quietly, still clinging to her brother and best she could. "You could get hurt. I don't want you to get hurt." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, that's a risk we have to be willing to take, okay?" Jaune whispered, poking his little sister playfully on the nose. "I'm not brainy like you, but I know that I can follow in our granddad's footsteps. I can keep people safe. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to. After what I saw, what I learned, I can't be idle anymore."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Okay…" Indigo reluctantly agreed, finally breaking the embrace she'd given him. "Just promise you'll come home for your next birthday, okay? You just turned seventeen, I want to celebrate your big eighteenth with all your new friends!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, I'll be sure to do that." Jaune chuckled, ruffling his sister's hair. "You be sure to keep the others in line, okay? Don't let anyone come running after me thinking they'll change my mind."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I will!" She replied with a hushed exclamation. Looking at what he was bringing along, Jaune's little sister frowned. "Did you bring enough clothes with you? You've only got one suitcase."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm, uh, I'm sure it'll be fine." Jaune chuckled nervous. He had, admittedly, overstuffed the single case he was bringing, but that still left a lot of clothes at home, not even counting the yellow stuff his parents always bought him that he refused to wear. "I've got everything I need."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, really? What'd you bring?" The bespectacled girl inquired, leaning a little closer as though she was inspecting him. "You've got your hoodie, so you probably have some undershirts and jeans. Did you bring any of your dresses?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh, just the white one." Jaune was sure his sister meant that last bit as a tease, but he never really minded the dresses themselves, just when his big sisters would force him to wear them. They were kind of nice, same with the braided hair. "You never know when I'll need it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Right." Indigo looked a bit skeptical, before shrugging. Giving her brother one last hug, less tightly this time, she removed her glasses to wipe away a tear. "Be sure not to break Crocea Mors! Dad might not use it anymore but it's important!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll be careful, now you be sure to get some sleep tonight, okay?" Jaune told his little sister, doing his best older brother voice. Indigo gave a reluctant nod, and he quietly closed the door to her room. He began to creep down the hallway as quietly as he could, only to be confronted by a light on as soon as he descended the stairs to the main floor.  He soon made his way out of their house, Crocea Mors at his hip as he turned back to look one last time at the place he'd lived his whole life. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Arc Estate was one of the larger in Domremy, land rewarded to his ancestor by the last King of Vale in an effort to encourage resettlement after the Great War. They grew grapes on the green hills that accompanied the home, intended to go towards wine. Originally, it had been a side occupation for his family, but after Jaune's dad was injured and he retired from the life of a Huntsman, it had become a bigger focus. Jaune didn't really mind the labor that went into it, but it never held a place in his heart as it had for some of his sisters. He wanted to be a hero, and so that was what he would do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Clutching tightly to the express train ticket for Vale he had purchased the night before, Jaune took his first step off his family's land with the intent to become a Huntsmen. To become a hero, like his grandfather, and his father before him. The first step would be going to Beacon Academy, the same place his father and grandfather had attended, to stand equal to them and every other Huntsman and Huntress. He knew that he had to do this, not just for himself, or his family. For every person he could save from suffering the same fate as the children already lost to the monster that had almost claimed his sister.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was going to be a hero. </span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>It was early morning when Pyrrha called home, of course, that meant it was past noon in Argus. If there was one thing she was not looking forward to at all in attending Beacon, it was the time difference between her and her family. It certainly wasn't the fans, though she had soon found she couldn't really escape them in Vale, either. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been a week since she arrived in the Kingdom's capital, and in another week, she would begin her academic tenure at Beacon Academy. While the people of Mistral had made it </span>
  <em>
    <span>quite</span>
  </em>
  <span> well known how disappointed they were in her attending a school besides their own, she was adamant in it. If there was one thing she didn't want, it was the assured preferential treatment Lionheart's teachers would give her. She had been blessed with great ability, but that did not mean she wished to loiter and linger, that was not the makings of a champion, and if she was anything, it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> a champion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As much as she might lament the changes fame had brought to her life, Pyrrha would never be sorry for what she had done, the ceaseless hours of training, both physical and academic, to earn her place. Some might say that it was solely due to her semblance, if they knew it, but that was wrong. Her old teacher had made sure she would never rely solely on her semblance, that she could be strong no matter what opposition she faced. How could she remain champion, after all, if she encountered someone who didn't use a metal weapon?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No, Pyrrha Nikos was known by a myriad of titles because she had truly earned them, and the only way to continue down that path was by leaving the land she called home for the distant shores of Sanus, where she might be held to the higher standard she sought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The ringing of her scroll stopped, and she tapped the glass screen to bring up the enlarged image of her mother and step-mother. "Mother, Dama. It's good to see you both." Pyrrha said gently, the softness of her voice managing to convey her fondness despite the polite tone she took. "I hope that life is going well in Argus."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Of course it is, matia mou. We only wish you were here, too.</span>
  </em>
  <span>" Pyrrha's mother replied, eyes visibly teary once more. Even traveling for tournaments without her mother had been hard on the woman, so the difficulty she was having at the notion of her daughter being gone for so long didn't surprise Pyrrha, as much as she didn't wish it upon her. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>It's quiet without you here.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Don't listen to her,</span>
  </em>
  <span>" Akeldama, Pyrrha's step-mother, insisted, giving the shorter woman a playful pinch. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>She might miss you, but it's nice having the house to ourselves. We both miss you, but I know that this is where your destiny is taking you. Anemone knows, too, even if she's reluctant to say goodbye to her little girl.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not a little girl anymore, mom, Dama." Pyrrha insisted, giving the two women a gentle sigh. It was the sort of action she could never do around anyone else, but there was a lack of concern how she displayed herself with her family that only made it more precious whenever she got to spend time with them. "I know that I had many opportunities in Mistral, but my heart is telling me that Beacon is where I need to go, and you always taught me-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Listen to your heart.</span>
  </em>
  <span>" Both of the women on the other side of the call replied in unison, before giving each other smiles. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>We are proud of you, Pyrritsa.</span>
  </em>
  <span>" Her mother said gently, giving a warm smile to her daughter. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>You've taken after your father in so many ways, I know that he'd be proud of you, too.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you," the champion replied, looking down as she smiled. She felt conflicted, talking about her father. She never knew the man, he had died before she was born, but her mother had always made sure to tell her stories of him, even after Dama entered the picture when she was six. The tales she heard of him had been a great source of inspiration, and when she first told her mother and Dama that she wanted to be a Huntress, her parents were very receptive to the idea. "I know that I've only just called, but I need to get started on my morning routine. Do you want me to call next week. too?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Of course!</span>
  </em>
  <span>" Dama insisted, giving the younger girl a grin. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>But you might not have a chance a week from today, by my guess you'll be too swamped with initiation.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Then I'll just have to call after that, to let you know the results." Pyrrha smiled, "I'll talk to you both soon. I love you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>We love you, too, Pyrritsa.</span>
  </em>
  <span>" Her mom returned the smile with one of her own, wrapping her arm around Dama's. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>We know you'll do great, little warrior.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The call ended, leaving Pyrrha alone once more. All her life, Pyrrha knew that she wanted to be a Huntress, to protect people. It wasn't some childish dream, this was her destiny, this was all her life had been working towards. She knew that she would help to save the world… but it didn't mean she liked the loneliness that accompanied her destiny. Where others put in just enough effort, she always put in as much as she possibly could. It was no surprise that such dedication had led her to stand above her peers, but she wished they wouldn't hold her to such a high degree, or in such contempt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>More than anything, Pyrrha thought that she'd really like a friend.</span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>In the shadow of the narrow alleys of Vale, even what light from the moon there might be was obscured, and the light pollution of the massive city meant that there was little in the way of starlight, either. That didn't matter, though, for Blake, one of the many Faunus lucky enough to have excellent night vision among the minor traits that accompanied her feline attribute. It wasn't perfect, of course, but it was far superior to that of human vision.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There had been an incident near where she was staying, a robbery at a Dust shop, and she had gone to make sure it wasn’t going to boil over to the bookstore she was staying in. Her footfalls were quiet as she continued traveling through the streets, coming to a brief stop at the sounds of sirens in the distance. She lingered in the shadows for several seconds that felt closer to an eternity, before the sirens went silent. Probably another car on the way to the Dust shop. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The rest of her trek to Tukson’s Book Trade went relatively smoothly, until she was at the backdoor. The sound of a foot shifting on the other side of the door sent Blake’s feline ears shooting up, Gambol Shroud in her hand, finger on the trigger as she kicked down the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A loud crash greeted her, along with a groan, and Blake let out a slight whimper. Tukson looked up at the teen, neither anger or frustration in his eyes, only pity. “Blake.” He said simply, standing up and dusting off his pants. “It’s nice to see that you’re okay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry!” Blake exclaimed, quickly returning her weapon to its sheath, amber eyes firmly looking towards the ground in shame. “I-I heard something and thought that he had-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Blake, it’s okay.” The large man insisted, offering her a halfhearted smile. She hated the way he looked at her, like she was broken, but that’s how she felt. Every little sound, every little thing out of the ordinary, it set her off, made her jumpy. Anxious. “Thank you for going to check out what was happening. Was it anything serious?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just a robbery.” Blake explained, her chest still rising and falling with erratic breaths, her body tense as she closed the door behind her. “Torchwick was hitting up another place, but it looks like he ran into some trouble. I saw some men in suits getting cuffed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good. Shouldn’t be any trouble for us, then.” Tukson replied, leading the teen to the small living area behind his shop. Blake’s things were mostly packed up, not that she had very much. “You really think going to Beacon is a good idea?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It is.” Blake said, her voice firm. “I… I made mistakes, when I was with A- with </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I stood by and let terrible things happen, Tukson, all under the assumption that it was making things better. It wasn’t, though, was it? If becoming a Huntress is my best chance to try making up for what I’ve done, then it’s worth it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know you don’t have anything to make up for, right?” The older Faunus asked, giving her another damned look of pity. He might tell her it was just sympathy, but she knew. “You were just a kid.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That doesn’t make it any better for the people who got hurt, does it!” Blake snapped back, before shrinking in on herself. “I-I’m sorry, this is just what I have to do.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t have to do it alone, Blake.” Tukson said gently, offering her a pat on the shoulder. “You should call them, to at least let them know you’re okay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I…” Her ears fell flat against the top of her head as guilt and shame welled up once more. “I know. I’ll try.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He left her at that, the older Faunus making his way to his own room and leaving Blake to her guilt. The cat Faunus sat on her cot, pulling out the burner scroll he’d provided her. She couldn’t use her old scroll, or Tukson’s, and alert someone in the White Fang that one of their members had actually contacted the Belladonnas. Instead, she entered in the number manually, something that had never left her memory despite the years of separation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The scroll rang once, then twice, and then once more. Blake wasn’t expecting anyone to answer, not really, why would her parents answer an unknown number like that? Did they even have the same number? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blake froze at the sound of her mother’s voice, a pained gasp caught in her throat. She… she couldn’t do this. She wanted to tell her mother that she loved her, that she regretted leaving all those years ago. That she was sorry for being such a failure. Blake canceled the call, tears running down her cheeks as she curled up on the cot, beginning to weep quietly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She just wanted a family again.</span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>The airship from Atlas to Vale was rather dull, in Weiss’ opinion. One could assume that was because of the lack of people aboard the late night flight, but that wasn’t really it. Rather, Weiss relished the chance to not have to deal with sycophants and fools trying to butter her up with false promises and deals. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No, it was simply because Klein couldn’t accompany her on this journey, though several other members of the Schnee Manor’s staff were instead. Looking out the window of the airship, which was now over the sea spanning the distance between Solitas and Sanus, the Kingdom of Atlas now hundreds of miles behind them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Weiss’ hand touched the still tender scar on her face, her lips forming a tight frown. For some time, she had contemplated using makeup to cover up the blemish on her otherwise immaculate face, but eventually, she came to the decision that she would wear it as a mark of defiance. She was </span>
  <em>
    <span>proud</span>
  </em>
  <span> that she had endured her father’s nonsensical test, that she had slain the Arma Gigas and proven her worth, even if she never should have had to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was furious, of course, the first time he was her walk on stage, scar still burning red against pale skin. There were gasps in the audience, of course, but she had ignored it, delivering what she felt was one of her best performances to date. The look on his face was priceless when she told him that if he hadn’t wanted her to have that scar, he shouldn’t have made her fight that Grimm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Weiss knew she would regret taunting her father as she had, and the fact her favorite butler wasn’t on this flight was proof enough that he was already beginning to punish her. So long as she proved that she was worthy of her status as heiress, though, he wouldn’t act directly against her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A sigh escaped her lips, as she turned her eyes back to the scroll in the tray in front of her. She had been going over Dust Science courses again, not that she really needed them. She was probably going to be more educated on the fields of Dust than whatever professor was teaching them at Beacon Academy, she would certainly be ahead of the rest of her class. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Closing the program, she instead pulled up the public list of Beacon Academy initiates for the upcoming year. Not everyone listed publicly, of course, usually only those who were rather proud of their results at their Combat School of choice. Flipping through the names, she tried to determine who she would want to be on her team. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pyrrha Nikos, of course, would have to be her partner. Both academically and athletically unmatched at Signal Academy, the four time champion of the Mistral Regional Tournaments was the ideal partner for someone as immaculate as herself. With Pyrrha at her side, Weiss would be unmatched by anyone at Beacon Academy, at </span>
  <em>
    <span>any</span>
  </em>
  <span> academy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The next notable name was one Cardin Winchester. She recognized the name as one of some renown in Vale, but looking at his academics, she was left rather unimpressed. He might have high scores in some of the more physical courses, it was pretty clear that he would not be an adequate member of her team.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yang Xiao-Long was the next name to stand out to her, and proved to be far more interesting. She was top of her class at Signal Academy, but her academic record had a few concerning blemishes. Notably, she was marked as having gotten into physical altercations with many of her fellow students, but if she could be made to act properly, she would be an undoubtedly valuable asset to her team. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The last name to arrive on the list, having been a rather recent addition, looked quite peculiar to Weiss. This “Jaune Arc” seemed to have one of the best transcripts she’d ever seen, but the picture available was hardly anything special. He looked far too scrawny to be impressive, but if the transcripts were accurate, she would have to snatch him for her team as well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yes, with a team like that, Weiss could surely go down as the greatest team leader in the Academy’s history, they could easily claim two Vytal championships and be renowned across the whole of Remnant. There was no way that her father could dispute her status as heiress with them behind her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ma’am?” Weiss looked over to the man addressing her, one of the many employees of her father accompanying her to tend to her luggage. He was understandably nervous, one did not simply walk up and speak to the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company. Feeling charitable, Weiss elected not to scold the man, rather raising her hand palm up, indicating he should continue. “We, um, we should be in Vale in about ten hours, if you wanted to retire for the evening.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, thank you, I will.” Weiss agreed, not having realized quite how late it had gotten, not that she’d even let the man know that. “You may return to your station, I won’t need someone to wake me in the morning.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Y-Yes, ma’am.” The man nervously sputtered, before retreating from her and leaving her to her thoughts. Weiss wouldn’t be going to bed just yet, though, she had more things to plan. There was no way she could let any of them slip through her fingers and join other teams.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yes, she was going to be the greatest of them all.</span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>“Are you ready?” Nora looked up to the young man addressing her, her ever present companion, Ren. She gave him a tender smile, standing up and stretching her arms. Today was a special day (not that every day she spent with Ren wasn’t special), one that the Church of Light had been looking forward to for longer than Nora or Ren had been alive. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course I am!” The redhead chirped cheerful, nudging her friend’s side. “The old man needs our help with this, I’d never let him down.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neither of the two were particularly faithful, not like the abbot who had taken them in was, but they were definitely grateful for all the help he had provided over the past four years of their lives. After so long as orphans, being taken in by the then missionary was one of the best moments of their lives, and they would do anything to earn the kindness he had given freely. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In this case, the abbot had asked that they help the church undergo a ritual that only took place once every fifty years, and had been a part of their tradition for hundreds of them. They had to enter a cave that went deep below the abbey, where they would take up water from a sacred spring and use it to replenish the fountain that the Church held sacred. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know you wouldn’t.” Ren replied softly, “I just wanted to make sure. I know we didn’t get as big a breakfast as you’d like.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, today is pretty important." Nora waved her hand dismissively, though she couldn't really deny she wanted more food. Ever since she was little, she ate as much as she could; some part of her knew that it was because for so long, she never knew when her next meal would be, but she excused it by saying she burned a lot of calories. "Besides, you know the abbot always says I shouldn't over indulge. At least for today, I figure I can listen."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If you're certain." Ren acquiesced to his friend, Nora giving a reassuring nod in return. Stepping out of the abbey, they began their walk to the cave's entrance, which was in a secluded corner of the church's land. The custom was for one of the monks to carry the large stone jug that they would fill with water, while another accompanied to deal with any Grimm that might've manifested in the darkness of the caverns. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So, are </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> ready?" Nora asked, looking to Ren as the duo made their way into the caverns. "The abbot is really proud of us, getting into Beacon. We'd already have headed out if not for the ritual."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm ready." Ren replied softly, keeping his focus on the task at hand. Nora wasn't allowed her weapon while she was carrying the water, so it was his job to keep her safe. He would, of course, always. That's what they did, even before the abbot found them. They kept each other safe, and that wasn't going to change. It would </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> change. "I only hope that we can keep up with our peers academically."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Bah! We'll be fine!" Nora enthusiastically exclaimed, grinning widely as she picked up the large stone jug and rested it just above her shoulder with a huff. Adjusting it slightly, she chuckled. "Man, this is heavy. I can't imagine any of the scrawny monks trying to do this."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sure they'd make do somehow." Ren retorted, silently drawing StormFlower from his sleeves, looking around the dimly lit cavern cautiously. "They've managed in the past."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The abbey was on land that had been fortunate enough to have a rather sizable vein of Dust, and had for years been resisting attempts by the SDC to claim the land for their own. Instead, the monks would slowly harvest it and make use of it in their religious practices. The faint blue glow of the crystals showed they were likely some kind of ice dust, though they might've been another kind Ren wasn't certain of. He'd never really had the chance to study Dust in great detail.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The duo continued on their trek to the first of three chambers, nothing but the occasional large beetle to meet them. Still, Ren kept himself at the ready, just in case. According to the abbot, something about the sacred water seemed to draw the Grimm out from the shadows, and while Ren wasn't sure how much he believed in the faith of the Church of Light, he had never known the abbot to be a lying man, and took him at his word. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if to answer his thoughts, as soon as Nora began the process of gathering water from the first spring, Ren was met by Creeps crawling in from where they'd entered the small chamber. The first he dispatched in a hail of bullets from StormFlower, the automatic handguns shredding the weaker Grimm. As soon as the first began to dissolve, he rushed forward, slicing at the other Creep, first severing a leg, then impaling its stomach as it fell to the side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While Nora finished the tedious process of pumping water into the jug, slipping the large lid on top and sealing it afterwards, Ren dispatched a few more Creeps, but nothing else serious approached. Walking up to her partner, the redhead gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks, Ren. I'd have helped out, but, you know, busy with other stuff!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You had another job, Nora." Ren said, returning the smile with a small one of his own. "Today it's my job to protect you, not the other way around."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know, I just wish getting the water was anywhere near as fun as killing Grimm." Nora replied with a playful pout. Ren didn't visibly react, save for the slightest hint of mirth in his eyes, but that was enough for her. "Right! Let's go, this is way heavier that it was before!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The way back to the antechamber that connected the three springs was met with a few more Creeps, but nothing Ren couldn't handle with ease. Nora wished she could do more, but she had to focus on her job with the water. As they made it to the second chamber, the spirited redhead felt relieved to get the stone jug off her shoulder for a bit, giving a haggered huff. "Wow, that thing is way heavy! The last person to carry must've been </span>
  <em>
    <span>huge</span>
  </em>
  <span>!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sure they were." Ren nodded, StormFlower at the ready for the inevitable attack. As soon as Nora began to pump more water, Creeps began to pour in from the small walk between there and the antechamber, vile hissing filling the air. Ren responded swiftly, not letting a single foe near his closest friend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks, Renny!" Nora cheerfully called from where she was pumping the water, taking a brief break to wipe her forehead. This was a good workout, she'd have to do stuff like this more often! "Almost done here, then we can head to the last chamber!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Take as long as you need." He said calmly, before dashing forward to bisect another Creep trying to make its way to Nora. The most frustrating part of this, not that he'd ever admit to being frustrated, is that they seemed more focused on her and the water than they were on the immediate threat he was providing. They'd only turn to him when he attacked them, otherwise they were locked on his partner as soon as they arrived.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Soon enough, they were on their way to the third chamber, Nora giving a strained hum as she tried to ignore how darn heavy the jug was. This was going to be a huge pain to bring back to the abbey, hopefully there'd be a short cut in the last chamber. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The last chamber had a serene beauty to it the others lacked. Along with the faint light of the Dust crystals that filled the cavern, a hole in the wall seemed to break all the way to the outside, somewhere in the coastal cliff the abbey was built atop. Light streamed in on the final spring, giving what the duo could only call a divine feel to it, the water glistening beautifully. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ready?" Nora asked, giving Ren a gentle smile. Her closest friend gave an affirmative nod, and she stepped up to the spring, placing the jug down and beginning to pump. She could hear the sounds of combat around her, but focused on the task at hand. Her body ached with the workout this was giving her, muscles sore despite her Aura's attempts to restore the damage naturally inflicted on them by overuse. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ren worked quickly, dispatching Creeps as soon as they broke through the ground, but he was worried. Things had gone too smoothly, and this place seemed to almost radiate with whatever would draw the Grimm to the water. He was certain something truly dangerous would arrive soon enough, and he didn't want to be caught off guard. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn't wrong, somersaulting out of the way as the ground beneath him buckled. Standing up, his eyes widened slightly in shock as a large Creep broke through the ground he had been on moments before. It was… </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He knew that aberrant Grimm existed, he could never forget the abomination that had destroyed his hometown when he was a child, but this was one of the more disturbing ones he'd seen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It looked as though someone had crushed three Creeps together, three heads struggling to fit on an enlarged body. In addition to the normal black and white one would expect, a vile green hue filled the creature's belly, and he soon found out why, jumping back as the central head erupted a corrosive bile that ate away at the stone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ren!" His attention was drawn away briefly at the concerned sound in Nora's voice, but he shook his head at the silent question she was asking him, her eyes pleading that she might be able to help him. No, he had to do this on his own, she had her own task, and he wouldn't let her fail!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dashing forward, Ren ducked beneath another wave of acidic bile, hissing in pain as a few drops made contact with his back. While his Aura kept it from doing any damage, the pain was unimaginable. Rolling on the ground, the Mistralan boy dived beneath the aberrant Grimm, severing its left leg with the blade of StormFlower's right half, while he unloaded the rest of the left half's ammunition directly into the beast's stomach. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jumping up as soon as he was out from under the massive Creep-hybrid, Ren spun around, cutting into the creature's back with both of his weapon's blades. It was still standing, somehow, and there was no way he'd let it get close to Nora. Collapsing StormFlower and sliding it back into his sleeves, he focused the whole of his Aura into his hands, concentrating it into a single piercing strike. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as his left palm struck the foul beast, its midsection began to swell up like a balloon. Jumping backwards, Ren rolled behind some large debris from where the aberrant Creep had emerged, just in time to avoid the massive explosion of bile that accompanied the Grimm's center popping. He waited for a moment, catching his breath, before standing up and inspecting the damage dealt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If by a miracle, Nora was unharmed, though the look of awe on her face told him he wasn't going to hear the end of this any time soon. The Creep's heads remained, though they were slowly fading into the air, as was what was left over of the tail. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Walking up to Nora, he exhaled loudly, before giving her a pat on the shoulder. "I think that's it." He said, giving her a slight smile. "Ready to go back?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, I got enough of the water, we can head back." She nodded, before grinning widely, poking him playfully in the side. "Don't think for a second I'll be forgetting about this, though! That was awesome, Ren!" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dark-haired boy gave a soft chuckle, something he rarely did, which only furthered Nora's excitement. All he could give in response to her excited chatter as they made their way out of the caves was a fond smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No matter what, they'd have each other.</span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>"Ruby!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yang woke with a start, her chest rising and falling in panicked breaths, hands clenched tightly shut. It had been another of </span>
  <em>
    <span>those</span>
  </em>
  <span> dreams. The ones she struggled to understand, but always led to the same thing: her sister. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door to her sparsely decorated room opened suddenly, and she found her father, looking at her from the doorway, a mix of concern and affection in his eyes. "Another dream?" He asked, walking up to her bed and taking a seat at the far end. At the dull nod she gave in response, he smiled sadly, giving her a reassuring pat on the leg. "I miss her, too."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's… it's not that." Yang didn't know why she tried to deny his assumption. No matter how many times she tried to explain, her dad never seemed to understand the importance of her dreams. Yang knew, though, that what she saw in her dreams happened, or, rather, was going to happen. She'd known ever since that day, ten years ago, when her sister was so cruelly torn from their family by the crazed bastard who attacked them when they were visiting their mother's grave. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had dreamed of it, vaguely, before the attack had happened. She didn't understand it all that well, but then, what seven year old would? She wish she had acted on what she'd seen, asked her dad or uncle to accompany them that day, visiting their mother. Why would she have to worry about a Faunus with a scorpion's tail attacking? That was just a bad dream, after all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Only it wasn't. That Faunus did show up, and he'd nearly killed Yang, and then she got to watch as he shot her sister in the chest, and Ruby fell off the cliff their mother's grave was on and into the waters below. Uncle Qrow had arrived, but it was too late, Ruby was gone. For the first six months, Yang had wished she'd died that day, then she had another dream, a dream like the one she'd had just before the attack.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ruby was alive. Yang didn't know where, or how, but her sister was alive. She only saw snippets, brief glances of her sister's life, but it had reignited her hope, even if her father had never understood the certainty with which she said that Ruby was still out there. She tried to explain why she knew, but her father never really believed her when she said she had seen Ruby in her dreams, or rather, he believed she had dreamt of her sister, but not that what happened was true.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What is it, then?" Taiyang asked gently, brushing the hair out of his daughter's face so that he could look into her violet eyes. "You know I'm not angry at you, for having dreams like this. I dream about her and Summer all the time."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Do you dream about Raven, too?" Yang retorted, her eyes flickering crimson. She felt terrible as soon as she saw the stricken look on her father's face, and lowered her eyes to the floor. "I'm sorry, I'm just… stressed. I'm going to Beacon soon, it's going to be a big change."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's okay, sweetie." Taiyang said sadly, giving his daughter a gentle smile. "I'll always be just a call away."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know, dad." Yang replied, before stretching her arms with a yawn. "I think I'm going to take a walk, clear my head a bit."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Okay, sweetie. Just be quiet when you get back, I'm going to try getting some sleep."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Goodnight, dad." Yang smiled at her dad, who responded by giving her an encouraging shoulder pat before leaving her room. Slipping out of bed, Yang changed quickly into some baggy cargo pants and a purple shirt, wondering for a moment if she should grab her jacket for a moment before dismissing the idea. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Making her way out of the house, only stopping briefly to give Zwei a quick pat on the head while he slept, Yang looked into the night sky as she let the gentle breeze of ocean air wash over her. It was late, probably around one in the morning, but she didn't mind, she had Ember Celica on her, and it wasn't like she was going to need to watch out for creeps where she was going. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The trail to Summer Rose's grave was just beyond their house, a lovely path through the forest that broke for a clearing as it approached the cliffs. This was it, the place where her life had changed so dramatically, all those years ago, where she and her sister had been robbed of a normal childhood. Walking up to the grave, she smiled softly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, mom." Yang said quietly, letting the breeze rustle her hair, fondly smiling as it reminded her of the way her mother used to do it, back when she was still alive. To her, it was a sign that Summer was listening, wherever she was, now. "I had a dream about Ruby again."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't know how far along from now it was, but she wasn't looking too great. She was in a forest, I think it was autumn, but the grass was red, too? It was weird." Yang shook her head, trying not to get off track. "Nevermind that. She wasn't looking too good. Not bad, either, but she looked like she'd seem some combat. There was someone with her, but I couldn't recognize who. I think they were hurt, like really hurt. They might've even been… yeah."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't know if I can do anything to help her, but I hope she'll be okay." Yang said softly, looking up at the shattered moon in the night sky. "I hope I'll be able to see her again, someday, with my own eyes, and not my dreams. I want to tell her how much I love her, and how much I've missed her. I want to make up for all the time we've missed because I didn't tell dad to come with us that day."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I want my sister back." Yang sighed, letting the sea air tussle her hair again. "I hope that I'll be able to make you proud, mom, when I go to Beacon next week. I won't be able to come around as much, but I'll try to keep you on my mind, always, even if I meet a cute girl or two." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yang chuckled at that, sitting down in front of the cenotaph, lying back into the grass. "I hope you don't mind if I stay here a bit longer, I just don't want to go home right now. Dad doesn't really get it. I don't blame him, I'm sure if I didn't have these dreams and someone tried to tell me they did, I'd find it just as outlandish, I just wish he wouldn't look at me like I'm crazy when I mention it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The breeze picked up a bit, and she nodded softly. "Yeah, I know, I shouldn't be too hard on him. He's lost a lot." Yang smiled softly, looking at the myriad of stars in the sky. "I'm going to live up to the example you set, mom. I promise."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yang raised her hand towards the sky in a triumphant fist, determined to live up to the legacy of Team STRQ, and her mother. </span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>"You knew that I was going to run into those thugs, didn't you?" Ruby asked bluntly, looking at the blind seer sitting across from her in their wagon. "That's why you sent me into the city looking for Dust at that late an hour."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course." Theresa didn't deny the accusation, it was rather obviously true, after all. "Your fate was to intervene in that robbery, just as it is to attend Beacon Academy. If we had never met, if you had never been separated from your family, the same events would take place."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So… you do want me to attend it?" Ruby asked nervously. She was admittedly unsure about the proposal, but if Theresa wanted her to accept it, she would. Despite her frustration at times with how Theresa would keep things from her, she trusted the old woman who had raised her for the past decade. If the seer wanted her to go to Beacon, she would, gladly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, it's important that you attend the academy." Theresa reiterated, standing up and facing her head towards the window at the back of the wagon. Ruby wasn't sure how the blind woman always seemed to know where it was, but she chalked it up to whatever other strange magic she had about her. "Don't forget your gift, Ruby. It will be useful in the coming days."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course." Ruby wasn't sure what use it could really have aside from serving as a walking stick, but she'd take it along if Theresa thought it was important. "Is there anything else you can tell me?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Just that you should cherish your time at the academy." Theresa said, giving what Ruby felt was an almost eerie smile. "I believe it's said that they are some of the best years of a person's life?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, thanks." Ruby nodded nervously, not stopping the old woman from departing the wagon. Sitting alone for a moment, Ruby sighed, before pulling out the scroll she had been given some hours ago. With her other hand, she took out the small paper card, entering the number on its front. The scroll ringed twice, before she got through. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hi, Professor Ozpin? I'm sorry for the late call, I just wanted to let you know that I was accepting your offer, I'll be happy to attend Beacon Academy. No, I don't need any extra lodgings until then, I'll be staying with the Caravan until I need to go. Thank you for the offer."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The call quickly concluded with a few more pleasantries traded, and the redhead gave a tired sigh. Her life was going to change, a lot, in the next week. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. An Unexpected Reunion (or two)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's been a week since Ruby accepted Ozpin's offer to attend Beacon Academy with Theresa's suggestion, and now she has to say goodbye to the family she's known for a decade. With the Caravan behind her, she'll have to trek on without a group to call her family, as far as she knows.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Looks like this'll be a once a week deal, give or take a few days. I had planned to write more Hereditary this week, but RL stress came to mess that up, so expect a chapter of that soon!</p><p>I hope everyone enjoys this as much as I enjoyed writing it (a whole lot). Please feel free to comment, review, leave feedback, or just a little message, they're always a big boost as an author.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next week passed faster than Ruby would’ve liked, and soon enough, it was the night before her departure to Beacon Academy. In celebration, the Caravan had decided to hold a spontaneous festival, and much of the week had been spent in preparation for the event. Dancing, singing, tales being spun… It was fascinating, but Ruby didn’t really feel like joining in.</p><p>She had never wanted to leave the Caravan like this, much as she did want to be a Hero. Sure, she had dreams sometimes of finding her long lost family again, but they always ended with her father and sister joining her on the road, traveling the wilds of Remnant. She never wanted to give up the life she’d had so comfortable to settle in one of the Kingdoms’ walls. Or just outside them, as Beacon Academy was. </p><p>She sat away from the group, occasionally looking up at her fellow Caravaneers, thumbs brushing against the small wolf medallion they had given her when she’d turned ten. A tenth birthday was a notable event within the Caravans, as life could be rough, and not every child made it that far along. Turning ten was when they were formally made a part of the Caravan, given tasks to assist with keeping things running, learned skills that could contribute to their community’s health. </p><p>For Ruby, she had been trained in things like sewing and working with leather and cloth, to help repair some of the wagons and patch up clothes. Others, like her friend Kiera, who was a year older, learned chemistry to make some of the unique potions and tinctures the Caravan was known to sell. Ruby had learned to work metal and forge, but not to aid the Caravan, but prepare herself as a Hero, designing and building her weapon, and later maintaining it. </p><p>“Hey, there, Sparrow!” Ruby squeaked a little as she was pulled from her thoughts, almost dropping the medallion. Looking up, her cheeks colored in embarrassment as her friend gave her a wide grin. “Why are you keeping yourself so far away from us, tonight of all nights?” Kiera asked, offering the redhead a hand. “You should come dance, it’s a night to celebrate!”</p><p>“I, um, I don’t know.” Ruby mumbled, but her friend just kept holding a hand out until she took it, at which point Kiera dragged her up and back into the celebration. “H-Hey, wait!”</p><p>“Nope!” The brunette exclaimed cheerfully, giving Ruby a wink. “If this is the last night I’ll be seeing you in four years, we’re going to have fun!”</p><p>“Kiera!” Ruby whined, though she couldn’t deny she was a little glad to have a friend pull her from the malaise that had been bothering her. Her friend gave another wide grin, before pulling her amidst the people of their clan dancing, only further enticed by Ruby’s embarrassed blush. </p><p>“Come on, Sparrow. Don’t worry about the future, focus on the present!” </p><p>Ruby did as asked, finding herself enjoying her time dancing with Kiera despite her anxieties about leaving the only place she'd truly felt was home for the past ten years. It was nice to have a chance to celebrate like this, the Caravan didn't hold such elaborate festivities often, and everyone really seemed to be enjoying themselves. Sure, the thought of leaving was painful, but that was why Ruby had to enjoy her evening, to have one last truly wonderful memory before she departed for Beacon Academy. </p><p>Soon enough, Ruby and Kiera had again separated from the main group, drifting to a large hill on the edge of the camp's perimeter. Ruby sat down, back towards the lights of the Caravan as she looked up at the stars. The light pollution of nearby Vale had made it harder to make them out, but she could still see much of the beauty in the night sky. "I'm going to miss this." Ruby said softly, giving Kiera a smile as the tanned girl sat beside her. "I think I'll miss spending time with you the most."</p><p>"I-I'll miss you, too." Kiera sputtered, causing Ruby to raise a brow, before dismissing whatever curiosity came. Obviously her friend was coming to terms with their separation as well, it made sense that she would find it hard, too. After spending so much time together, Ruby couldn't deny that they were best friends, and Kiera had always been happy to cheer her up when she was feeling down. "It's going to be weird, without you there. Even when you had your little quests for Lady Theresa, I always knew you would come back. Now… now I'm not so sure."</p><p>"Hey, don't think like that." Ruby insisted, sitting up a little as she gave her friend a stern look, bracing herself against the hill with her hands. "I'm a part of this clan, and all of you will live in my heart. Just because I'm going to be gone for a while doesn't mean I'm going to leave for good, okay?"</p><p>"I know," Kiera replied softly, giving Ruby a sad smile, gently placing her hand atop Ruby's as she tried to brighten her expression. "It's just scary to think about, I don't want to say goodbye to you. You mean so much to me."</p><p>"You mean a lot to me, too, Kiera." Ruby said, returning the nervous smile with a bright one of her own. Her friend's smile widened once more, her freckled hazelnut cheeks warming. "You're probably my best friend in the whole world, and I don't think I could ever forget you in a million years."</p><p>Why did that make her expression fall again? Ruby felt more than a little confused as Kiera withdrew her hand, before flopping her back to the ground, looking back up towards the sky. "Yeah." The brunette sounded weirdly sad, and Ruby wasn't sure why, "you're my best friend, too."</p><p>"I'm glad I get to spend my last night here with you," Ruby gave her best friend a reassuring smile, but it didn't seem to help. Feeling a bit defeated, Ruby laid her back against the grassy hill as well, looking up at the myriad of stars above them. She had hoped for a more pleasant ending to the evening, but in the end, it felt weird. She wasn't sure if bittersweet was the right word, but it certainly didn't end as cheerfully as she wanted.</p>
<hr/><p>Morning was a subdued affair, much of the levity from the party the night before having faded into a solemn acknowledgement that the Caravan would be losing one of their own, even if she was determined not to let it be the end of her time with them, merely an extended absence. Some of the people she was closer to brought her some departing gifts, a new kit for repairing the thread of her (admittedly) fraying cloak, some high quality grounded Dust for her next batch of bullets, polish for the leather that made up her corset and bracers. Simple things, but definitely wanted. </p><p>She was nearly out of the camp when Kiera stopped her, still looking kind of sad after last night. Ruby really wished she could do something to help her friend, but she had no idea what was even wrong other than that she was going to Beacon, and she couldn’t really change that. It was Theresa’s decision, and while Ruby was more than a little nervous about the idea, she wasn’t about to second guess the seer. </p><p>“Hey.” The brunette spoke softly, keeping her eyes averted from Ruby’s. She held her hands out sharply, gripping a tightly wrapped package. “I got you something, before you go. It’s not much, just a few more elixirs and stuff, but I wanted you to have them, since I don’t know how long it’ll be before we can meet again.”</p><p>Ruby was hesitant to take the package, but did acquiesce, putting it in her pack before returning it to her back. Looking at Kiera, the redhead frowned, wanting to cheer up her friend but not entirely sure how. After a few seconds of indecision, Ruby moved forward and gave the slightly older girl a hug, earning a gasp from the brunette. “Thank you for always being here for me, Kiera. I wasn’t lying when I said that you’re my best friend. You’re always going to be one of my best friends, even if I make more while I’m away.”</p><p>“I know.” Kiera replied, her arms slowly returning the hug Ruby was giving. She still sounded sad, but Ruby hoped that would pass in time. “Promise me that you’ll stay safe?” </p><p>“I promise,” Ruby nodded, the embrace slowly breaking. “I need to get going, but I’ll be sure to send messages. I might not have a messenger bird, but I’ll find some way to get them to all of you. Maybe Theresa can help.” </p><p>“I hope so.” Kiera agreed, her arm raising in a subdued wave. “Good luck out there, Sparrow.”</p><p>Ruby returned the wave with a sad one of her own, giving Kiera a smile before turning away, and taking her first steps out of the Caravan's territory without the intent to return in a few days. There was something terrifying about it, but also a tingling feeling of rightness. She hated the idea of leaving the place she'd called home, but she knew that it was the right decision, and more than just because of Theresa's decision. If Ruby wanted to become a Hero, this was the right path to take. </p><p>Playing nervously with the frayed hem of her cloak, Ruby exhaled slowly, and began her walk to the gates of Vale. They weren't camped too far from the northern gate, and the gates were rarely, if ever, closed, even at night. That didn't stop there from being some suspicion for those from Caravans and other travelers being given some trouble entering the city, something Ruby was quick to encounter, though thankfully a quick call to the number Ozpin had given her in case she was given any issues came in handy. Apparently the deputy headmaster, the blonde woman she'd met a week before, was quite willing to give the men operating the gate a stern talking to, an absolutely horrific sight even though Ruby wasn't on the receiving end of it. </p><p>After getting through the gates, things were smooth sailing, so to speak. The air dock she had been instructed to find was in the western part of the commercial district, not too far from the entrance to the city her clan was camped near. Calling it a commercial district was a bit of a misnomer, in truth, as only the agricultural and industrial districts remained dedicated to their respective tasks, while the commercial and residential districts had long seen a blending between the two. </p><p>She had been requested to show up to the air dock around a quarter of an hour before noon, so she still had a good bit of time between then and when she'd entered the city. That meant she could take her time getting there, absorbing some of the sights of the megapolis she'd missed during her evening visit. If there weren't so many people, it would honestly have been amazing. Unfortunately, the price of safety meant a lot of people were crowded into Vale's walls, especially as buildings went higher than she'd ever seen in any of the smaller cities that dotted the Kingdom's borders. </p><p>It was good, of course, that people felt safe living within the city's walls, and from what Ruby could tell, they were at least adapted to the more confined lives they had to live. She might not envy them, but she certainly could respect the choice to live in safety. </p><p>Arriving at the air dock, there was still over an hour until she needed to show up, and an hour after that before the airship the students would be taking would depart. She hadn't been particularly keen on taking an airship to the academy, given there were alternatives, but Professor Ozpin had been quite adamant. He wouldn't say exactly why, but she got the impression he had something planned, now she just needed to figure out exactly what it was. </p><p>With a sigh, Ruby took a seat in one of the unoccupied benches in the air dock's lower lobby, leaning back as she took a look at the few other people currently waiting. A pair of teens (perhaps a couple?) lay against each other, the short redhead leaning her head against the magenta-streaked dark-haired boy's shoulder, while his head was resting atop hers. A tall redhead girl with brilliant bronze armor and striking green eyes, Ruby cutting her glancing towards her short as the redhead started to look up. A brunette with a bow at the top of her long hair, looking downward towards a book, clearly disinterested in her surroundings. </p><p>It wasn't too surprising to Ruby that there weren't too many people at the air dock this early, and at least the people there looked interesting. Better than the alternatives, being too crowded would've been miserable, and empty a bit lonely, even if she wasn't about to go approach someone for a conversation. No, for now, she was just going to kick back and relax, so that the apprehension and nerves didn't get to her. Exhaling once more, Ruby pulled her back forward, and pulled out a book, this time a story about the myth of the wandering man. They were always interesting to read, even if she doubted their authenticity. Sometimes, it was nice to just enjoy the story. </p>
<hr/><p>It had been a week since her last big dream, and Yang had managed a mostly peaceful sleep the night proceeding her departure to Beacon Academy. That was until about five in the morning, when the faint sound of Patch's alarms were heard in the distance, and she found herself joining her dad in an early morning clean up mission.</p><p>Attacks weren't uncommon on the island of Patch, but the early morning ones were always the worst, because the small port city's defenses always seemed to have trouble about an hour before sunset. Yang grabbed Ember Celica, readying herself for combat before meeting her dad out in front of the house. He was taking the old beat up truck as usual, while she decided she may as well take advantage of their heading to Patch early, and brought her pristinely painted motorcycle, Bumblebee. </p><p>Though their house was out of the way and north of the city that much of the island's populous remained on, the drive there was only a few minutes, and soon enough, the Xiao Long family had entered the fray. </p><p>It was another swarm of Nautl, rather persistent Grimm that appeared a bit like if a hermit crab had settled into the shell of a nautilus, and then sprouted another pair of claws, while standing about five feet tall. They weren't the most difficult things to deal with, unless they closed themselves off by using the pincers as shields, but that also prevented them from attacking, so it wasn't the biggest deal. The real problem came in that the aquatic Grimm attempting to attack, the following panic it would cause some of the citizens on Patch would then result in Grimm coming in from the island's forests as well. </p><p>Taking care of the Grimm wasn't a huge issue, and soon enough Yang was heading towards the ferry to Vale, so that she could get on her way to the air dock she'd been assigned. The day after her last dream, her dad got a call from Ozpin, and while Yang wasn't sure what it was all about, she figured it was pretty important if the professor wanted her and her dad to be at the air docks early. Unfortunately, the CCT relay on the island was damaged <em> again </em> and so her dad had to stay behind. He seemed sad, but wouldn't let up on why, just insisting that she get going, and that once things were running smoothly on the island, he'd come to visit.</p><p>The ride from the docks to the air dock wasn’t too bad on Bumblebee, though the Saturday morning traffic was more than a little annoying. Dropping off her bike at the loading area along with her luggage, Yang looked at her scroll to check the time. Oh, damn, time really had passed on the ferry ride over. There were only about fifteen minutes until they were supposed to be there, and while her dad wasn’t able to show, she could at least get there early. </p><p>Walking into the dock, she casually glanced around at the other students who had started to show up. It was a little over an hour until the airship would be boarding, so there weren’t too many students, but the ones who had arrived were quite interesting. Most of them weren’t anything to write home about, though she recognized several people from Signal. Cardin stood amongst his ever devoted following of sycophants, something she never really understood.  In another life, she might’ve called them friends, but with how they treated her desire to find her sister, Yang was glad to not care about them. </p><p>Standing out the most, of course, was one Pyrrha Nikos, wearing her typical tournament attire, heels and all. Yang could also recognize the redhead and brunette sleeping beside each other; she didn’t know their names, but she’d seen them before, during Beacon Academy’s tryouts, when people who didn’t attend a combat school would try to earn a place for initiation. Another brunette, wearing a black bow, was reading a book, and as tempting as it was to walk up and try striking up a conversation with a beauty, Yang could tell she wanted to be left alone. There was one last person who stood out to Yang, though she wasn’t quite sure what to make of her. </p><p>A girl in a red cloak, hood pulled over her head, flicking her finger across the scroll in her other hand. There was something vaguely familiar about her outfit, but Yang was pretty sure it was just a coincidence, after all, her mom wasn’t the only woman in the world to wear a cloak with a hood. The girl certainly looked like she’d seen a lot of travelling, if the scuffs on her shoes were anything to go by, though judging by how her elbow length leather gloves were shining, she’d been trying to clean up at least a little for Beacon. </p><p>Right, Yang was here for a reason, and it wasn’t to people watch. Shaking her head, Yang made her way to the side room Professor Ozpin had asked for her and her dad to go, so it was no surprise that the headmaster was waiting for her.</p><p>“Miss Xiao Long.” The professor nodded, offering a polite smile as he rested a hand on his cane, the other occupied with a mug, presumably of coffee. “Was your father not able to join us?”</p><p>“Another Grimm attack this morning.” Yang replied with a sigh, giving a tired shrug. “Dad had to stay behind with the other teachers at Signal, to try and keep things mitigated. No casualties when I left, at least! Stupid Nautls just keep trying but they never make any progress.”</p><p>"Yes, the Grimm are ever persistent, Miss Xiao Long." Ozpin acknowledged with a chuckle, before his plain expression became more serious. "Did your father at least explain why I wanted the two of you to come here today?"</p><p>"Uh, no. He's been kind of tight lipped about it, honestly." Yang admittedly, giving another shrug, "I asked him more than once and he always kept quiet or changed the subject, it's been kind of frustrating."</p><p>"I… see." Well, that was weird. It wasn't the first time Yang had met the esteemed headmaster, so seeing him express more than the mischievous hint of a smile he sometimes wore, let alone a full frown, was more than a little surprising. "In that case, I suppose this will be more of a shock than I was intending. I'll have to speak to your father later."</p><p>"Um…" Yang felt a strong sense of trepidation, frowning slightly. Professor Ozpin was typing on his scroll, seemingly having disregarded her for the moment, only furthering her concern. "What exactly would be a shock, sir?"</p><p>She saw the professor's lips moving, some part of her could even hear his voice, as well as the opening of the door she had come through, but her mind shut all of it out. Instead, all she could focus on was the sudden overwhelming smell of roses in the air, a sensation that held the familiarity of a distant memory, that of her mom during her childhood, back before her presumed death. </p><p>Coalescing before her was a tempest of rose petals, blending together until a figure stood before her and the headmaster. For a moment, the image of a kindhearted woman draped in a white cloak, the interior a deep crimson, flashed before Yang, before it was replaced by someone new. With her hood now lowered, it was obvious who the girl standing in front of her was, dark red hair that lightened at the tips cut somewhat messily, favoring the right side of her face to the left, with brilliant silver eyes and pale skin. </p><p>Yang could tell her eyes were watering, a lump forming in her throat before she finally pushed out a single word.</p><p>"Ruby?"</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p>Ruby let out a surprised squawk, almost dropping the scroll she'd been given by Professor Ozpin a week ago. It had <em> vibrated </em>! It had never done that before! Giving the device an inquisitive look, she noticed a flashing box at the top of the screen, which read: "Professor Ozpin." Pursing her lips in curiosity, she tapped her finger on the box, which then took the scroll to the messaging app, where, unsurprisingly, a message now awaited her.</p><p>"Miss Rose, please meet us in the room on the left side of the lobby." Ruby read aloud, before realizing he probably meant at that moment, her body blurring together into a gust of rose petals as she tapped into her semblance, earning more than a few startled complaints as she darted across the room and through the doorway as instructed. Returning to her normal state in front of the professor, she gave an enthusiastic salute. "You needed to see me, Professor Ozpin?"</p><p>The silver-haired headmaster opened his mouth to speak, but before he could manage, someone else spoke up in the room, taking the redhead's attention away from the professor.</p><p>"Ruby?"</p><p>Ruby spun on her heel at the mention of her name, turning to face the other person in the room, a blonde teen maybe half a foot taller than her (probably less!) with tear-filled lilac eyes, wearing a somewhat familiar orange scarf that the redhead just couldn't place. "Uh, yeah? Did you need something?"</p><p>"Ruby!" Two very strong arms suddenly wrapped around the silver-eyed girl, eliciting a squeak as she was pulled into a tight embrace. The hug seemed to last forever, before it broke and Ruby let out a pained cough. Clearly not noticing the confusion on her face, the blonde continued speaking ecstatically. "Ruby! You're alive! I-I always knew but dad never listened!"</p><p>"Um…" Ruby took a couple steps back, brow furrowing as she tried to recall why the orange scarf and blonde hair felt so familiar. It was on the tip of her tongue, but she just couldn't quite place it. "Who, um, who are you?"</p><p>The blonde staggered back a few paces, a small, pained gasp escaping her lips as more tears began flowing down her cheeks. Ruby hated the heartbroken look in her eyes, for some reason knowing that she never wanted to see this girl cry. She wanted to say something - <em> anything </em> - that might make it better, but she didn't know what to do.</p><p>"Miss Rose." Thankfully, Professor Ozpin seemed more than equipped enough for this sort of situation, addressing her and the other girl in the room, whose eyes widened slightly on hearing those words from the professor's mouth. "This is your older sister, Yang Xiao Long."</p><p>"Yang?" The words barely escaped Ruby's lips, coming out a painful rasp. Suddenly, it all made sense. The blonde hair, the orange scarf, lilac eyes… but the last time Ruby had seen her sister. "I-I thought you w-were… I…  you were lying in the grass, th-there was so much blood. H-he… I thought he'd-"</p><p>Silver eyes widened with shock as strong arms again brought her in for an embrace, this time far more gentle. She couldn't stop the tears welling up in her eyes from running down her cheeks, slowly resting her head against the blonde's shoulder as she timidly brought her arms up to return the hug. She tried to speak, but she couldn't find the words, another gasp escaping her lips, the urge to weep becoming too great. </p><p>"Hey, hey," Ruby could hear Yang's voice, the blonde speaking gently as she pulled back from their hug, the redhead looking up to see her sister giving her a reassuring smile. "I'm right here. I'm okay."</p><p>"I… I saw you fall." Yang said quietly, rubbing gentle circles in Ruby's back while she continued. "The man was… he was going to finish me off, when Uncle Qrow appeared. H-He got him good, made sure he'd never hurt anyone else again, and then he brought me to the hospital in the city. It was… touch and go for a bit, but I made it, a-and now I have a pretty wicked scar to show off!"</p><p>Ruby just held her sister a little tighter at the attempted levity, sniffling quietly as she clenched her eyes tightly shut. Professor Ozpin cleared his throat, drawing the pair's attention before offering a genuine smile. "Miss Rose, Miss Xiao Long, if you'd like to catch up, you can do so here, or in the main lobby. Unfortunately, I cannot stay, or Glynda will be cross with me, and we wouldn't want that."</p><p>After the brief display of her ferocity this morning, Ruby could understand the pained terror hidden beneath the professor's lighthearted chuckle. Giving the two a polite nod, Professor Ozpin collapsed his cane, before departing the room, the recently reunited sisters now alone. </p><p>"So, um," Ruby thought Yang sounded a bit nervous, but she wasn't quite sure, it had been too long to have any sort of accurate read on her sister's usual attitude. "Maybe we could take a seat in the lobby? Hopefully your bench hasn't been stolen."</p><p>"Yeah! Sure." Ruby squawked out, ducking her head sheepishly at the unintended volume of her reply. She could tell she was still crying as she gave her older sister a wide smile, but she didn't care. She had actually found her sister, or at least, Professor Ozpin had arranged a reunion. She had finally found her family again. "Let's go."</p>
<hr/><p>The wait for the airship was spent with the sisters eagerly doing their best to get caught up. Yang was happy to regale her sister with stories of her time at Signal academy, though she always got a little quiet when she talked about training with their dad. From what Ruby could tell, there was… tension between them, to say the least. Yang hadn't gone into detail, and Ruby was certain that she would be pressing her older sister on it later, maybe during the ride to the academy.</p><p>The bell had just sounded letting them know they needed to board the airship, and Ruby shuffled behind her sister. There was still a slight distance between them, metaphorically, and Ruby wanted to do her best to close that distance. Still, it was a bit odd that Yang didn't have anyone else she wanted to spend time with.</p><p>"Hey, um, Yang?" Ruby piped up, her older sister turning to look at her as they found their place inside the airship, near one of the large windows that would allow them a great view of the massive city and its surroundings when they were in the air. "Sorry if it's rude to ask, but, um… where are your friends?"</p><p>Yang seemed to pale a bit at the question, and Ruby got the impression that she might've overstepped a boundary, but her sister did eventually answer. </p><p>"I, uh. I have a few, I guess, but, I've never been super close to them." Yang ran a hand through her messy blonde mane. "A lot of people didn't understand how determined I was about finding you. Some of the kids at Signal, they called me delusional, so I… put them in their place. I <em> knew </em> you were out there, and I wasn't gonna listen to a bunch of pricks." </p><p>"Most of the kids I was fine with weren't interested in moving on to Beacon, that was more the thing for Cardin's lot." Ruby gave an inquisitive raise of her brow, which her big sister seemed to pick up on, the blonde nudging her head in the direction of an oversized boy with light reddish hair combed back into a small peak, laughing loudly with a group of other students. "He's a jerkwad, before you get the wrong idea. Him and his whole family are awful people."</p><p>Whole family was <em> hopefully </em> an exaggeration, but Ruby would at least take her sister's word about the boy himself. He certainly had an arrogant look to his face, like he thought he was the best person in the room. </p><p>"Thanks for believing in me, Yang." Ruby mumbled, giving her sister a nervous smile. "I always hoped that I'd find you and dad again, someday, but I… I was always scared that you were gone. Th-that the man on the cliff had killed you. That the last thing you'd have seen was me f-falling."</p><p>"Hey, I'm okay." Yang insisted with a smile, ruffling Ruby's hair and earning a squawk from the girl. It was nice to see that Yang didn't seem angry that she hadn't held the same confidence in her sister as the blonde had, though that didn't make Ruby feel any less guilty about the fact. "So… tell me a bit about the Caravan! I always wanted to meet a Caravaneer, they don't really show up on Patch, given we're not even close to the mainland."</p><p>“Life on the Caravan? Sure!” Ruby chirped cheerfully, happy to move on to a less touchy subject for her sister. Removing the pendant from her pack, Ruby brushed her thumb fondly against the lupine image. “Life out there is rough. A lot rougher than life in the cities. But we make due! We learn how to live life despite the struggles, and we get to live a lot freer than we would in the cities.”</p><p>“Freedom is really important to you guys, huh?” Yang noted, earning a nod from Ruby, while the blonde brought her sister in close with a one-armed hug. “Freedom is pretty important for us, too.”</p><p>“It’s different, Yang.” Ruby said tersely, frowning a little at her sister. Noticing the confused look on her older sister’s face, Ruby inhaled slightly, trying to calm herself down. Yang hadn’t meant any offense by saying that, she just didn’t understand, so it was important to explain. “For people in the cities, it’s all about freedom of expression, but you’re still tied down by restrictive and often corrupt systems.”</p><p>“For the Caravans, freedom is more than just expression, it’s a way of life. We aren’t all born to the clan, case in point.” Ruby pointed to herself, giving a lighthearted smile, returning the wolf medallion to her pack before stretching her arms out, her eyes turning to the grand urban sprawl beyond the window. “For some of us, yeah, we could make it inside the Kingdom’s walls okay, and that’s why we’re usually the ones who come inside to trade.”</p><p>“For others, though? They don’t have that option.” Ruby frowned slightly, silver eyes darkening with her expression. “There’s a reason that people claim Caravaneers have “dirty blood,” a lot of us are Faunus, or human children of mixed marriages. We’re runaways, refugees abandoned by Vale’s system, Faunus who’ve escaped from company towns and penal mines.”</p><p>“With the clan, we can live free from prejudice, free from the influence of companies that hold sway over the Kingdoms’ laws.” Ruby returned her gaze to Yang, giving her a reassuring smile. “That doesn’t mean I don’t care about you, though, or the people living here. I just don’t know that I could ever really settle down to a stationary life like so many people down there have. That’s why I think being a Hero - being a Huntress - is the kind of life I’d like. It’s not one that lends itself to being idle.”</p><p>“I’m glad to see that hasn’t changed.” Ruby let out a squeak as her sister pulled her into a tight hug, a wide grin on Yang’s face. “Even as kids, you always said you wanted to be a Huntress. It’s nice to know that you’ve never given that up.”</p><p>“What about you?” Ruby asked, squirming a little in her big sister’s embrace. “I-I don’t really remember what you wanted to be as a kid. How did that change?”</p><p>“Well, I don’t think it really did. Not entirely, anyways.” Yang replied, a pondering expression on her face. “I always wanted to be a Huntress, but the reason… well, for the longest time, it was because I wanted to find you. I’m not really sure why I want to be one, now, but I know that I do. I guess… maybe so I can find out why you were attacked when we were kids.”</p><p>“You guys never found out?” Ruby asked, silver eyes widening slightly as she escaped the hug and got a good look at her sister, Yang’s lilac eyes downcast as she looked towards the ground in frustration. “Theresa would never tell me why, either, but I think she knew, or at least had an idea.”</p><p>“No, the guy who attacked… his body was gone by the time Uncle Qrow got back to investigate.” Yang lamented, the blonde’s hands were clenched tightly, and Ruby could feel a shift in the ambient Will as the air heated slightly. “If he hadn’t needed to get me to the hospital, he might’ve been able to find <em> something </em> out.”</p><p>“Hey, I’m glad he did, though.” Ruby insisted. “I’d rather not know why I was attacked, and have you, than the other way around.”</p><p>“I’m… glad to be here, too, Ruby.” Yang said, though the redhead worried it might’ve been a little forced, which made Ruby frown slightly. “So! Tell me about this Theresa woman! That’s an unusual name, doesn’t really match a color, does it?”</p><p>“Theresa? I guess it doesn’t.” Ruby chuckled, “she’s old. Like, older than when people started that tradition of color names. Not every person in the Caravan had a color name, but even there, it was pretty common.” </p><p>“Right, so… Theresa is like a mentor to me, sort of?” Ruby explained, head tilting slightly to the side. Her lips pursed as she tried to think of the right way to describe the older woman without revealing <em> too </em> much. “She was the person who found me, when I washed ashore on Sanus. Don’t ask me how I survived, even with my Aura I don’t know what miracle saved my life.”</p><p>“She leads the Caravan I was raised in, guides us on where to go next.” Ruby exhaled slightly, stretching her arms out in front of her as she continued. “She’s a bit weird, but not in an old-fashioned sort of way. I think she just enjoys being intentionally vague about things.”</p><p>Before Ruby’s description could continue, the nearby display showing the news cut out, and was replaced with the transparent form of the deputy headmaster. “<em> Hello, and welcome to Beacon </em> !” Ruby and Yang’s attention was drawn to the screen, the volume of the professor’s voice much louder than the news had been, clearly to make sure everyone aboard heard the announcement. Yang began to ask who Professor Goodwitch was, when the recording continued. “ <em> My name is Glynda Goodwitch. </em>”</p><p>“<em> You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy. </em> ” Ruby shifted a little closer to Yang as more students began to crowd around the screens. “ <em> Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task, and now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world. </em>”</p><p>The faintest sound of a scroll ringing could be heard just before the recording was cut off, and Ruby got the impression that her call earlier in the morning may have interrupted a larger speech. The airship then passed a large tower that peaked above the rest of the Valean skyline, Yang seeming to notice that the redhead was curious about it. “That’s Pharos. It’s the Kingdom’s largest Combat School, though the highest ranking is Signal, where I went.”</p><p>“It’s huge.” Ruby mumbled, somewhat dumbfounded. Her entire clan could fit into that structure a hundred times over. “Do all of them become Huntsmen?”</p><p>“No, not at all.” Yang waved a hand dismissively, the other planted firmly on her hip as she gave a slight grin. “Remember, we’re “among the privileged few” who get that chance.”</p><p>“Yeah, okay.” Ruby said with a snicker, giving her sister a light shove. “So what do so many of them do if they don’t become Huntsmen?”</p><p>“Well, a lot of them join Vale’s armed forces, others become policemen.” Yang explained, raising a finger for each time she listed a new option. “More than a few become guards in towns in the Kingdom’s outer reaches, outside the city walls. Of course, there’s also idiots who join the SDC’s private enforcement division, if they’re human. It doesn’t matter, what <em> we’re </em> doing is becoming Huntresses, and that’s the most important thing for the Kingdom.”</p><p>Ruby wasn’t entirely sure about that, but she didn’t voice her concern. Huntsmen and Huntresses were definitely important, but they could often overlook the people living outside the inner parts of the Kingdom of Vale, or near major settlements that were on the eastern coast, like Domremy and Pelydrol. </p><p>Before conversation could continue, a rather wretched sound was heard as someone lost their breakfast on the floor, before scurrying into the crowd and presumably to the nearest restroom. “Well, I guess we aren’t such an esteemed few after all.” Yang chuckled, which earned a few snickers from Ruby, “wouldn’t want to be on his team.”</p><p>“Yeah, that’d be some bad luck.” Ruby agreed with a lighthearted smirk, though a part of her was wondering who had the misfortune of getting sick on the airship like that. </p><p>She really hoped it wasn’t who she had an inkling it might be. </p>
<hr/><p>“I <em> knew </em> it!” Ruby exclaimed, causing her sister to jump in surprise, as the duo exited the airship. Yang looked more than a little confused, not that the redhead really noticed very well; her attention was solely on the blonde boy keeled over the trash can just outside the doors to the large aircraft. </p><p>“Uh… knew what, sis?” Her older sister inquired, leaning a little to the side as she tried to get a better look at the scrawny boy, who was groaning loudly.</p><p>“It’s Vomit Boy!” Ruby said, waving her arms wildly in presentation. Another groan escaped the blonde boy, who stood back up, still looking a little nauseous.</p><p>“I thought I had escaped that…” He whimpered, straightening up a bit and turning to the sister duo. His attire hadn’t improved much in the months since Ruby had first met Jaune in Domremy, though he’d added some spaulders and rerebraces to his arms. His (limited edition!) black hoodie, some logo she still hadn’t seen the entirety of behind a diamond-shaped chest plate, was paired with some patched up jeans. “Hey there, Hero Girl.”</p><p>“I never thought I’d see you here!” Ruby exclaimed cheerfully, giving Jaune a smile, not really sure how to take the nickname he’d given her. It certainly wasn’t as teasing as her one for him, though she never meant hers as an insult. “How is your sister doing? Is she okay?”</p><p>“Yeah, she is.” The blonde boy nodded, a relieved smile on his face. “She has trouble sleeping sometimes, w-we both do, but things are a lot better than they could’ve been if you hadn’t helped.”</p><p>“I’m glad to hear that.” Ruby had a gentle smile of her own at that news. She had been admittedly worried about the younger girl after the Caravan had departed Domremy six months ago. Maybe a little worried about Jaune’s family not giving him the opportunity he clearly could benefit from, if his Aura was anything to go by, but it looked as though they  had turned around afterwards, since he was here now! </p><p>A loud, forced cough from Yang caught Ruby and Jaune’s attention, and she gave them a confused stare as the two turned to look at her. “Um. A little context, maybe?”</p><p>“Oh! Right!” Ruby squawked, jumping up sheepishly, her cheeks warming with embarrassment. “Yang, this is Jaune! We met last year when he went off to find his little sister, who was grabbed by a… Strangler. He didn’t have a lot of training, but he’s got a ton of potential.”</p><p>"Well, I'd hope he has potential if he's here at Beacon." Yang stated, earning a pout from Ruby as she pretty clearly looked him over with a skeptical expression. "You don't seem like too much, Vomit Boy, but thanks for being my sister's friend."</p><p>He was her friend? Ruby's eyes widened ever so slightly, cutting off the blonde boy who was about to speak. "Yeah, it's really nice to see a friend here of all places!" Ruby said, eyes widening further as she gave Jaune an imploring look that shot down any attempt he might make to interject. "I was pretty nervous about meeting new people, but I think I'm doing pretty good so far!"</p><p>As if on queue, the moment she said that, Ruby took a step backwards and right into a luggage cart. Stark white briefcases spilled across the ground as the redhead stumbled onto her back, one case less secure than the others popping open and sending vials of Dust strewn across the dock. Thankfully, most students had by now departed the airship, or an even bigger accident might’ve happened. </p><p>“What are you <em> doing </em>?” </p><p>Ruby opened her eyes slowly at the sound of shrill screaming, finding piercing ice-blue eyes glaring down from above. She blinked, finding the person above her was indeed actually there, and not looking at all happy. Stumbling up, Ruby nervously played with her hands, not really wanting to meet the angry girl’s eyes. “Um, sorry!”</p><p>While Ruby was trying to pick up the scattered briefcases, Jaune looked on in confusion, Yang with a hint of mirth, though it was clear she would interject if needed. Picking up one of the cases, the redhead held it close to her chest as she turned around, the angry white-haired girl standing uncomfortably close to her. “Sorry?!” The girl exclaimed, prodding at Ruby with a finger as she continued to fuss. “Do you have any idea what kind of damage you could have caused?”</p><p>Ruby attempted to say something else, before the frustrated girl snatched the case from her hands, opening it to reveal glistening vials of Dust. “This is Dust! Mined and purified from a Schnee quarry!” The redhead was still attempting to gather her bearings, but the girl in the pale outfit didn’t let up at all. “What are you, brain-dead?!”</p><p>“Hey!” Yang stepped forward, Ruby blinking again and getting a clearer view of her sister’s hand wrapped around the white-haired girl’s wrist. “Lay off for a minute! It was an accident, you need to give her a minute to actually respond.”</p><p>“Excuse me?!” The short girl tugged her hand away from Yang, almost spilling the open container’s vials all over the ground. “Don’t touch me! Do you have <em> any </em> idea who I am?!”</p><p>“Um, no?” Ruby squeaked, before her sister could retort, a bit confused by the burning red eyes that had replaced lilac. “L-Look, it was an accident and I’m really sorry. Let me help pick this stuff up and you can go on your way.”</p><p>“<em> What </em> ?!” Oh wow she got even madder at that. Ruby wasn’t exactly sure what she’d said that was wrong, but going off her current experience with this girl, she was about to find out, in the angriest tone possible. “What kind of backwater are you from that you can’t recognize <em> me </em>?”</p><p>Okay, that was too far. Ruby could handle it when the girl was focused solely on her, but insulting the Caravan? That was too far. “From outside the Kingdoms!” Ruby snapped, silver eyes in a sharp glare as she returned the sharp poke from earlier with one of her own. “Where apparently, we know how to not raise brats, <em> Princess </em>!”</p><p>“It’s <em> heiress </em>, actually.” Someone else interrupted with thinly disguised amusement, one of the errant vials that had spilled out earlier in hand. “Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, one of the largest producers of energy propellant in the world.”</p><p>“Finally!” Ruby could practically <em> hear </em> the arrogance in the now named Weiss’ voice, the white-haired girl clearly not understanding that the new arrival was not on her side. Getting a better look at her, Ruby realized the girl who had identified the heiress was the girl reading a book she’d spotted before the flight. “It’s always nice to receive proper recognition!”</p><p>“The same company infamous for its controversial labor forces,” the brunette then jabbed, causing the Atlesian girl’s cheeks to redden. “And questionable business partners, like the Atlesian prison system.”</p><p>“Wha- how dare-” Weiss clearly couldn’t finish a full sentence, her face flushed with embarrassment. Snatching the vial from the brunette’s hand, the Atlesian stomped off in a huff, still muttering to herself as she tried to properly form a retort no one would hear.</p><p>“Hey, um, thanks!” Ruby chirped, looking to the brunette, who… kept on walking. Ouch, that was harsh. “So much for that…”</p><p>“Don’t worry about, sis.” Yang insisted, giving her sister a reassuring pat on the back. “She’s probably not in a mood to chat, let’s just get going, before you bump into anyone else.”</p><p>Ruby chuckled at that, her cheeks warming in embarrassment as her head ducked down slightly. “Yeah, let’s get going.”</p>
<hr/><p>Yang wasn’t sure what to make of Jaune, as the now trio were slowly making their way towards the auditorium the Beacon-hopefuls were directed to. She hung back a few feet, letting her sister chat cheerfully with the friend she’d apparently made some months ago. </p><p>“All I’m saying is that motion sickness is a much more common problem than people let on!” Jaune insisted, earning the slightest smirk to Yang’s face as the two in front of her discussed his rather unfortunate nickname. </p><p>“I’m sorry!” It certainly didn’t sound like Ruby was sorry, given the giggles escaping her lips, “it was the first thing that I could think of! You have to admit, you earned it with what you did to my shoes!”</p><p>“Hey! I apologized for that!” Jaune replied with a pitiful pout, which only made Yang’s sister laugh even louder. “Come on, you know I’d give myself a better introduction if I could!”</p><p>“Ha! Fine, let’s start over.” Ruby said with a laugh, her body twisting into a cloud of rose petals before she reformed in front of him, walking backwards with a hand extended out towards Jaune. “Hi there, I’m Ruby Rose, it’s nice to meet you!”</p><p>“Well, then,” the blonde boy took her hand, giving it a firm shake as a (definitely overconfident) grin took hold on his face. “The name’s Jaune Arc! Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue! Ladies love it!”</p><p>Okay, that earned a loud snort from Yang, who found it harder not to laugh at their antics. Apparently, her sister agreed, if the playful scoff she gave was anything to go by. “Do they?” Ruby asked, as the handshake ended.</p><p>“They will!” Jaune desperately insisted, though the defeated look on his face made it clear to Yang he was realizing his attempt at a better introduction had fallen flat. “I-I hope they will! My mom always said that, well… nevermind.” </p><p>“How, uh, how did things go with your family,” Yang could hear the very clear change in her sister’s tone, and stepped ever so closer to get a better ear on the situation. “Better than it had been, I hope?”</p><p>“Oh, yeah, it’s great!” Well that was a load of crap, with how much his voice quavered when he said it. Unfortunately, Ruby didn’t seem to pick up on it entirely, though there was an inquisitive look on her face that demanded further explanation. “Right, uh… Dad trained me a bit. I was able to get in here!”</p><p>“That’s good, I’m just glad he stopped treating you so poorly!” Ruby chirped, turning around to walk with him again, a relaxed smile on his face. “I’m sure you’ll do great, I wasn’t lying back then when I said you were a big help.”</p><p>“Ah, well, I’m glad <em> someone </em> thinks so.” Jaune replied, before mumbling something under his breath that Yang couldn’t manage to pick up. “Right! Uh… we’re going the right way, aren’t we?”</p><p>“What?” Ruby squeaked, “I was following you!”</p><p>Oh dear, these dorks were totally getting lost, and Yang had let them take the lead. Picking up her stride, she turned back to give the duo a confident smirk. “Come on, I’ll get you there before we end up late.”</p>
<hr/><p>Weiss was irritated, to say the least. First, she was forced to crowd into a stupid airship with many students of… less than desirable breeding. Then, she was only allowed to have <em> one </em> butler assisting with her luggage, having to send the rest back to Atlas prematurely. As if that wasn’t enough, while her things were being taken off the airship, some useless <em> dolt </em> knocked her things over! Now, as though nothing at all had happened, that stupid backwater child was here, chatting away with those two blondes like she hadn’t done anything wrong at all! </p><p>“It really was just an accident,” the Atlesian heiress overheard, her eyes narrowing at the girl with dark red hair. Weiss didn’t even care about the rather severe sneer forming on her face as she approached the trio. “Why would someone have a whole thing of luggage like think, we’re here to be Huntresses, not peddle unearned goods!”</p><p>“You!” Weiss snapped loudly, drawing the attention of the trio, the young redhead letting out a startled squeak as she clung to the blonde girl with the long hair. “You could’ve gotten all four of us blown off that cliff with how reckless you were with that Dust!”</p><p>“What?” The redhead whimpered, trying to sway her with a rather dangerous display of wide eyes that Klein would’ve called “puppy eyes.” Weiss didn’t let it get to her, though, fishing out a pamphlet from her purse, and thrusting it at the girl. “Wh-what?”</p><p>“The Schnee Dust Company is not responsible for any injuries, or damages, sustained while operating a Schnee Dust Company P-” Weiss was busy trying to read off the usual company disclaimer given whenever someone was deemed a potential risk, when the blonde girl stepped between the two. “Hey!”</p><p>“Look, uh, I know you had a rough start with my sister,” the blonde <em> seemed </em> to be genuine, but Weiss wasn’t going to trust her after what had happened earlier. “Why don’t you start over and try to be friends, okay?”</p><p>“Yeah!” The redhead gave Weiss a frustratingly genuine smile, which only made her feel even angrier. Who was this brat, acting like she was on the same level as Weiss Schnee, renowned singer, model, and heiress to the Schnee Dust Company? She should be <em> begging </em> for forgiveness, not acting like it was a given! “Hello, Weiss. My name is Ruby, do you want to hang out? Maybe go shopping, eheh?”</p><p>“Oh, sure!” Weiss retorted snarkily, “we can paint out nails, try on clothes, and talk about cute boys, like tall, blonde, and scraggly over there!” </p><p>The look of joy on the girl’s face was priceless. She really thought that Weiss would hold her in any sort of high regard, eyes shimmering with joy and excitement. “Really?”</p><p>“No.” Weiss denied, holding back the smile as she watched the girl’s expression fall, the blonde girl sending her a rather severe glare. Her eyes were red, that’s weird. She could’ve sworn she’d seen them lilac before, but she had also glimpsed them being red earlier as well. </p><p>Before the blonde brute could retort, there was a tapping sound from the speakers set up around the auditorium, and everyone turned to face the stage. Professor Ozpin, one of, if not the most, well know Huntsmen in the whole of Remnant, was standing there, waiting to address the students. Weiss’s posture went rigid as she did her best to give focus to the main, who looked over the audience with a look of indifference. </p><p>“I’ll… keep this brief.” He said, his voice calm, though somewhat distant. “You have traveled here in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills. That you might bring destruction to the Grimm and create new opportunities for those who cannot fight the darkness that encroaches around us. This choice is an admirable one, but as I look upon all of you, gathered here today, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction.”</p><p>What? How dare he assume that Weiss was wasting her energy! She knew exactly what she was doing! No, no, surely he was referring to students like that red haired dolt! “You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far.” Ozpin’s gaze traversed the whole of the students gathered once more, only coming to a brief stop. At first, Weiss assumed it was on her, and her expression became a proud smile, but then she realized it was slightly to her right, stopped on the redhead brat. “It is up to you to take the first step.”</p><p>Weiss could feel herself losing her temper ever further, hands clenched tightly to her sides as Professor Ozpin left the stage, and his deputy stepped up to the microphone. “You will gather in the ballroom tonight; tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready; you are dismissed.”</p>
<hr/><p>The rest of the day had passed rather quickly, Ruby spending a couple hours at the Academy’s farms while lunch was being offered to the students. Yang didn’t seem too keen to let her little sister out of her sight, and Jaune was happy to tag along with the duo, so Ruby offered the both of them some of her trail jerky, so they’d at least get something to eat while she <strike> played with </strike> fed the chickens. After that, they explored the campus for a while, stored their weapons in the locker room, had a late dinner, and made their ways to the ballroom. </p><p>The academy was kind enough to provide sleeping bags, and Ruby quickly situated herself near one of the unoccupied windows. Yang started setting up beside her, giving her a curious look. “Why’d you choose a place this out of the way?”</p><p>“I, uh… I like to be in the moonlight, when I sleep.” Ruby sheepish admitted. That wasn’t the entire reason, but it’d work better than admitting she was uncomfortable with the large crowd of people in the room. “Why don’t they have the boys sleep in a separate room, at least?”</p><p>“The way dad put it, they want to get everyone used to the idea of sleeping in mixed quarters, just in case they end up in a team that isn’t all boys or girls or whatever.” Yang explained, a gentle smile forming on her lips. “Dad is going to love meeting you, Ruby. I don’t know when he’ll be here, not with the most recent Grimm attack on Patch, but hopefully it’ll be soon.”</p><p>“Do you really think he’ll want to see me?” Ruby asked, a lump forming in her throat as her eyes darted towards the ground. “It… It sounded like he moved on. Maybe it would be better if he never knew.”</p><p>“That’s a load of crap, sis.” Yang said sternly, pulling the younger girl into a spontaneous hug, earning a startled squeak. “Look… dad… Dad went through a lot of pain, after we lost you, more than I did, even. A-And he never had the certainty that you were out there, not like I knew. He moved on because he had to, but if he knows that you’re out here… He’ll be overjoyed, I know it.”</p><p>“If you’re sure…” Ruby mumbled, not feeling anywhere near as confident. The embrace broke, and the redhead situated herself back in her bundle of warmth, taking out a pen and piece of parchment from her back. </p><p>“So, why aren’t you wearing any pajamas?” Yang eventually asked, while Ruby was busy recording the events of the day, so that she could send them to Kiera. </p><p>“I, uh…” Ruby ducked her head slightly, cheeks warming in embarrassment again, this time because she was wearing her normal outfit. “I don’t actually have pajamas. Not anything appropriate for here, anyways. Back at the Caravan, I would just wear a nightgown, but I don’t really… feel comfortable wearing that in a big crowd.”</p><p>“Oh! That’s fair.” Yang chuckled, scratching at the back of her head. “So, uh… who’re you writing?”</p><p>“My friend, Kiera.” Ruby replied, her tone becoming soft with a hint of sadness. “She’s one of my best friends in the whole world, and I had to say goodbye today. She’s… She’s worried that I won’t go back to the Caravan, when this is all over, after my four years here. What if… what if she’s right?”</p><p>“Don’t think of it like that, Ruby.” Yang insisted, giving her another hug, thankfully not as tight as the last time. “You might change a whole lot in the next few years, and she might, too. That’s not a bad thing, though, that’s just natural. I don’t really know a whole lot about this clan you’re a part of, but I can tell that they mean a lot to you. Don’t overthink it, Ruby, I’m sure that no matter what happens, they’ll keep occupying a place in your heart.”</p><p>“Yeah, thanks, Yang.” Ruby wasn’t quite so sure, but she wanted to believe what her sister was saying. Gosh… she’d actually found her sister. She’d been a bit swept up in the moment, earlier, but this whole day had been incredible. She never thought she’d see Yang again, but here she was, right beside her. “I wish I could talk to her easier, so many people got to take their friends along with them.”</p><p>“Well, it’s not so bad, is it? You’ve got Jaune, and me.” Yang said with a smile, giving Ruby a gentle pat with the arm wrapped around her. “So what if Weiss is a bit of a bitch, you don’t have to worry about her.”</p><p>“Yeah, that’s true.” Ruby acquiesced, though she was hesitant to actually call the Atlesian girl anything so harsh. Sure, they’d gotten a rough start, but things could improve. Weiss could even turn out to be one of her best friends for all she knew, so she didn’t want to have too negative an opinion on her, even if she was a <em> Schnee </em>. </p><p>Looking around, she found a familiar face reading by candlelight. Well, familiar might’ve been a stretch, but she did recognize her as the girl who had defended her from Weiss’ nonsense earlier. “Hey, Yang?” Her sister followed Ruby’s gaze towards the bow-wearing brunette. “Do you think it’d be okay to say thank you to her, like… properly?”</p><p>“Yeah, sure, maybe we can both make a new friend!” Yang was quick to her feet, dragging Ruby behind her while the redhead squeaked out inaudible protests. As soon as they came to a stop, Yang called out to the now much closer brunette. “Hello! I believe you might recognize us?”</p><p>“Aren’t you the people antagonizing the Schnee Heiress?” The brunette asked, giving a reluctant sigh as she put her book down.</p><p>“Um, y-yeah. That was just an accident, though.” Ruby replied sheepishly, fiddling nervously with her fingers as her eyes darted downwards. Yang elbowed her side, earning a timid squeak, before Ruby continued. “Um, sorry! My name is Ruby Rose.”</p><p>“Oh… kay?” The brunette didn’t sound at all interested, which was a little heartbreaking. Oh well, she was back to her book. Ruby was ready to walk away when Yang stepped forward, giving an almost forced smile. The redhead got the impression her sister wasn’t sure how to deal with this girl, either.</p><p>“So… What’s your name?” </p><p>Amber eyes looked back towards lilac and silver, not particularly thrilled. “Blake.” The brunette said, sighing loudly.</p><p>“Well, Blake, I’m Yang, Ruby’s older sister.” Ruby watched as her sister desperately looked around for something to continue the conversation, before her eyes finally settled on the top of the girl’s head. “I like your bow!”</p><p>“Thanks.” Was the curt reply she got in return. </p><p>“It goes great with your…” Yang’s eyes were desperately darting around as she tried to figure out how to respond. It was kind of funny to watch, and while Ruby definitely wasn’t a fan of how quick the girl was to ignore them, she could understand she didn’t want to be interrupted. “Pajamas?”</p><p>“Right…” Wow, her sister was getting nowhere with this. </p><p>“Nice night, don’t you think?” But still persisting onwards anyways. It kind of reminded her of how Kiera would sometimes continue on conversations. Huh.</p><p>“Yes, it’s lovely!” Uh oh, the newly identified Blake did not sound pleased with the constant interruptions. “Almost as lovely as this book! That I will continue to read! As soon as you leave!”</p><p>“Yeah, this is a lost cause.” Yang lamented to her sister, who chuckled, before stepping forward. </p><p>“What’s it about?” Ruby asked, squatting down to eye level with the brunette, who looked a little surprised at the question. “Your book. Does it have a name?”</p><p>“It’s the Man with Two Souls.” Blake replied after another moment of gaping at the question. “It’s about, well, just that. A man with two souls, each fighting for control over his body.”</p><p>While her sister scoffed at the strange premise, Ruby just chuckled gently. “I love books. Out in the Caravan, we don’t have easy access to stuff like that, so I always treasure what I can get my hands on.” The redhead said with a gentle smile, her mind returning to the times she was younger and had more chances to read. “My guardian, Theresa, used to read to me every night before I’d go to sleep. Well, not read, she was blind, but she told me stories. Stories of heroes and monsters, that inspired me to follow this path.”</p><p>“And why is that?” A light chuckle escaped Blake’s lips, one that came across a <em> little </em> condescending. “Hoping you’ll live happily ever after?”</p><p>“Well, I guess I’m hoping that we all will.” Ruby admitted, chuckling a little in turn. It might sound silly, but it was true. “As a girl, I wanted to be just like the Heroes in her stories, someone who would fight for what was right, and protect the people who cannot protect themselves.”</p><p>“That’s very ambitious for a child.” Ruby didn’t really like being referred to that way, she wasn’t a <em> child </em> just because she was a little younger than them, but she didn’t speak up to interrupt the brunette. “Unfortunately, the real world isn’t the same as a fairy tale.”</p><p>“Of course not.” Ruby’s smile sank into a frown for a moment, before she shook her head, returning the smile warmer than ever. “That’s why we’re here, though. To make sure people can have those happy endings we’ve missed out on. To make things better.”</p><p>“I… I suppose so.” Blake sounded a bit taken aback, which in all honesty, was kind of the point. Ruby knew that her outlook might seem childish, but it really wasn’t. Hopeful, maybe, but hope was important, especially for a Hero. “Thank you, Ruby, Yang. It’s been a pleasure.”</p><p>“You, too, Blake.” Ruby nodded, giving a gentle wave, standing back up. </p><p>“See you around, Blake.” Yang gave the brunette a warm smile, though she also had a weird look in her eye that Ruby again found a bit familiar, but couldn’t quite place. Oh well.</p><p>“Let’s get to bed.” Ruby quietly insisted, making her way back to their little sleeping area, Yang in tow. It was getting late, and Ruby planned to be up bright and early, so there was no sense in burning more time. “Goodnight, Yang.” </p><p>“Goodnight, Ruby.” It felt weird, getting to say goodnight to her big sister after so many years without, but it was nice. Ruby put her things away, and curled up in the sleeping bag, a gentle smile on her face as she shut her eyes, soon drifting off to sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Art of Ruby's design was drawn by Cadhla128 on tumblr for commission.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Partnership</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's initiation day, and things are moving quickly. Pairings will be formed, as the academy's staff watch on.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ahhhh, I hope people will enjoy this! Sorry I haven't gotten anything else done, life's been super stressful!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ruby woke with the first rays of sunlight peeking through the window she'd positioned herself near the night before. Thankfully, such early mornings were something she was well adjusted to, despite what the loud yawn escaping her lips might make one assume. </span>
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  <span>Normally, Ruby would be quick to hop out of bed and embrace the day, but circumstances were a little different than what she was used to. First of all, she wasn't in a bed, but in a surprisingly comfortable sleeping bag provided by Beacon Academy. Second, she was pinned beneath the arm of her sister, who was currently snoring loud enough the redhead was sure it could be heard throughout the entire room.</span>
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  <span>That was something she could manage easy enough, but it was a little funny waking up to find herself in that sort of a position. Was this like a slumber party? She had a vague idea of what those were, even if that wasn't really a thing in the Caravan, if only because there wasn't enough room to feasibly do something along those lines. </span>
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  <span>Blinking, Ruby shook her head slightly, clearing her head of errant thoughts before she gingerly slipped from her sister's grasp. Standing up straight, Ruby stretched her arms as she surveyed the sleeping forms of Beacon's assorted intitates. Satisfied that she was definitely the first person awake, the redhead began her trek out of the ballroom, carefully stepping between sleeping bodies as she made her way to the door. </span>
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  <span>It wasn't as though she had any particular special morning ritual she wanted to perform or anything, but the chance to wake up early and avoid the crowd was certainly a nice perk from life on the road. In the wilds, they didn't rely on alarm clocks, the sun or the roosters were their way of knowing when to wake up, not any fancy scrolls. </span>
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  <span>The hallways were unsurprisingly desolated, save a rather stout looking Huntsman with slightly aging features, who was currently asleep, leaning back in the chair he'd obviously been observing the other room in. Creeping by the dozed off Huntsman, Ruby held her breath, doing her best to remain silent. While he might seem harmless, he was still a Huntsman, one under the employee of one of the strongest men in all of Remnant, it wouldn't be smart to assume the worst of him. </span>
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  <span>Making it out of the ballroom, it didn't take too long to find a door to the outside, upon which Ruby gave a relaxed sigh. There was something about the morning air that was just really pleasant, especially when it didn't have to compete with the smells that inevitably came with having horse-drawn wagons as a major part of one's lifestyle. Stretching her arms up towards the sky, she smiled cheerfully at the cloudless weather. It would've been miserable if it was rainy during their initiation, not that Ruby was really sure what all would go into it.</span>
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  <span>Yang had insisted that their father remained rather tightlipped about the whole affair, something that was apparently a big tradition among those who had attended the academy. Ruby hoped that the surprise would be worth it, because as of now, she wasn't all that fond of going into a situation without the proper facts, something that was made only more frustrating by Theresa's constant vagueness in the past. </span>
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  <span>Checking her scroll, the locked screen showed "6:12" for the time, which was sufficiently early for Ruby's satisfaction. She was sure that other students would be waking up soon, but this at least gave her a good opportunity to get showered and cleaned up before the locker rooms became too crowded. With how Yang had emphasized the risk of those getting too crowded, the redhead was surprised her sister wasn't as early of a riser as she was. </span>
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  <span>Quickly putting her clothes aside, Ruby made for the showers. She took longer than she'd have liked, to be completely honest, but this was the first time she'd enjoyed a proper hot shower in Brothers know how long, so she relished the opportunity it provided. After about half an hour, she finished up, and was just about done getting dressed when she heard someone else entering the area, singing to themself, of all things. </span>
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  <span>Peeking over in the direction the warm tones were coming from, Ruby was careful not to look too clearly, just in case the person was indecent. Thankfully, luck was on the redhead's side, and the new arrival was not yet changed. The girl in question was rather tall, with quite frankly an unfair amount of lovely red hair, a lighter shade than Ruby's but still a bold red as opposed to a more orange hue; she was wearing a fairly plain set of pajamas, consisting of a muted orange long sleeve shirt and long pants, likely made of a fairly high quality material if their condition was anything to go by. </span>
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  <span>For a moment, Ruby couldn't recognize the teen at all, before she connected her to the pretty girl with the bronze armor from the lobby of the air dock the day before. Wow, her hair had looked nice then but it looked really nice when it was down and green eyes had locked with silver. Uh, crap, intentionally or not, Ruby had kind of been… staring like a creep. "Hello?" The tall teen asked, eliciting a timid squeak from the silver-eyed girl. "Can I help you with something?"</span>
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  <span>"Oh! Um, sorry!" Ruby sputtered out, ducking her head in embarrassment. "I, uh, I heard someone singing and was curious, I-I shouldn't have pried." </span>
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  <span>"Oh, no, you're fine!" The tall redhead was quick to insist, though that only managed to make Ruby somehow feel even more like she should apologize. "I was just making my way to the showers, I didn't think anyone would be here quite so early."</span>
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  <span>"Ah, well, my sister said that it could get pretty crowded." Ruby mumbled, scratching nervously at the back of her neck as she spoke. "I figured that bright and early was the best time to go."</span>
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  <span>"Well, that makes sense." The taller girl nodded, giving Ruby a polite smile. It wasn't quite what she could call forced, but there was a fakeness to it that screamed it was almost a reflex, not something genuine. "Is your sister a student here?"</span>
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  <span>"Oh, Yang? She will be. It's her first year, same as me." Noticing the curious look in the taller redhead's eyes, Ruby chuckled sheepishly. "I'm, uh, I'm actually attending a couple years early, but that doesn't really matter! My name's Ruby Rose, it's nice to meet you."</span>
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  <span>"It's nice to meet you, then, Ruby." The taller girl extended a hand, which the diminutive redhead took with some hesitance. "You must've done something quite impressive to have earned a place at Beacon Academy two years early."</span>
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  <span>"I, um, might've interrupted a robbery." Ruby chuckled, the nervous expression she was giving somewhere between a smile and a grimace. "So, um, who are you?"</span>
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  <span>"That sounds quite daring!" The taller girl had a hint of excitement to her voice, and maybe jealousy? Not really maliciously aimed, but more faint, like it was something she might've wanted to do. On realizing that Ruby didn't know who she was, the tall redhead looked a little surprised, before her artificial smile was replaced with a slightly more genuine one. "My name is Pyrrha Nikos, my apologies on not giving it sooner."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's nice to meet you, too, Pyrrha." Ruby chirped nervously, holding her hands rigid to her sides now that she was no longer giving the taller girl a handshake. "I, um, I should probably get going, right?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, no, please, I really don't mind the company!" Wow, she sounded, uh, a bit… desperate. That probably wasn't the most delicate way to think of it, but she really didn't want Ruby to go. Maybe she needed a friend, too? She didn't look Valean, maybe she didn't have many friends attending Beacon, either. "I won't take too long in the shower, if you aren't opposed to waiting."</span>
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  <span>"Oh, um… okay?" Ruby wasn't really sure what to do, but if the older girl did need a friend, Ruby kind of did, too, so that wouldn't be so bad, would it? "I'll wait out here for a bit, but if you take too long I'll have to go! I want to get breakfast before the rush!"</span>
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  <span>The older girl - Pyrrha, she really would need to remember - gave a lighthearted chuckle, hand quick to cover her mouth. "I swear, I won't take long at all." She had a gentle smile on her face as she looked into Ruby's eyes, trying to reassure her with a little attempt at humor. "I won't even try to wash my hair this morning, it should be fine for another day." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, okay." The attempt at humor had fallen a bit flat, though admittedly it was probably because Ruby only got to wash her hair like once a week normally. Maybe that could change now that she wasn't living on the road and had better access to clean water for washing. Giving the taller girl a stiff wave, Ruby gave her best smile (which was painfully timid, in this case). "See you in a bit."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that, the taller girl departed for a place to change closer to the showers, while Ruby sat down on the bench and tried not to think about that. Stupid brain. Shaking her head furiously, Ruby played at the edges of her cloak, pondering what to do as she sat down and awaited Pyrrha. This wasn't exactly what she'd planned when she went to get an early shower, but hopefully it would all work out.</span>
</p>
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<p>
  <span>Weiss Schnee was having a bad day. Some might say it's too early to suggest the day was bad, but for someone like Weiss, the very notion of being woken up by a redhead (really! Another!) screaming "good morning" over and over again was beyond reproach. This was Beacon Academy for Dust's sake! She had been under the impression that a school of this caliber would be home to students of a similar social status as herself, prim and proper and not at all the childish fools she'd had the misfortune of meeting so far!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yesterday had been humiliating enough, between the encounter with that dolt at the academy's air dock, and again just before Professor Ozpin gave his speech. The fact that she'd had an altercation with another student in front of so many others filled her stomach with dread. What if someone had recorded it? What if her father found out? No, no, she couldn't think like that. Despite the less than pleasant interactions being public, it was a loud, crowded room, it was very unlikely that she had been recorded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Exhaling quietly, Weiss shut her eyes, before practicing the breathing exercises Klein had taught her. In, hold, out. In, hold, out. Everything would be fine. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as she'd managed to calm down a little, Weiss exited the sleeping bag she'd been forced to use the night before, a truly degrading experience, but one she would endure for the sake of becoming a Huntress at Beacon Academy. Pale, icy-blue eyes peered around the room as the heiress tried to assess her alleged peers. They were, unsurprisingly, not up to her high standards.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She spotted that oaf Cardin, who had been so confident of himself to have a publicly listed application while his grades were middling to say the least. The large boy was currently preening as some teens surrounded him with looks of adoration, which was near unfathomable to Weiss. How had such a mediocre student acquired such a following? The heiress decided that it was because he had relied too much on his family's connections, and that the sycophants around him were likely fairweather friends at best. Such individuals were not unfamiliar to the heiress, in fact, large amounts of the social circles she knew in Atlas were comprised solely of people like that, it was one of the reasons she'd been so eager to leave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dismissing her thoughts on the matter, she continued her disapproving assessment of her fellow Beacon hopefuls. The golden mess of hair on the floor near one of the windows belonged to the blonde girl who was sister to the redheaded brat from the day before, while Weiss had now identified as Yang Xiao Long, the problem student who she had considered as a potential team member; after the display yesterday, that was definitely off the table. Pyrrha Nikos was nowhere to be seen, so the heiress assumed she had simply departed early, and that left the one other student she had considered, the one with the incredible transcripts but looked less than acceptable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh. Oh Dust no. He was wearing a bunny-themed onesie. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was absolutely no way he could be a competent student while wearing something </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> childish!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a huff aimed at no one in particular, Weiss stomped out of the ballroom, head held high as she made her way to the main changing rooms. The heiress was doing her best to keep her head clear and not get angry at the circumstances, but it was getting damn near impossible with how ridiculous this place was. Winter had been quite insistent that if she didn't want to attend Atlas Academy, Beacon was the best place to go, but Weiss' impression of the academy so far had left her greatly wanting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey there!" Weiss almost screamed at the sudden cheerful intrusion to her thoughts, eyes wide as she turned to look at the person speaking to her. It was the redhead that had been screaming "good morning" earlier, the one who had woken her up. If the girl understood the rather severe glare Weiss was now giving her, she made no indication, instead continuing to cheerfully chatter on without a care in the world. "Are you okay? You looked upset! Ren said I shouldn't bother you but then he said I couldn't follow him when he was going to get ready for the day and that's stupid so why should I listen to him about this you look like you need a friend!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I...  what?" Weiss was completely gobsmacked. Dust it was like that girl could speak a million words a minute, the heiress struggling to follow along. Eventually, she was able to process the deluge of information, and frowned slightly. Her? Needing friends? How insulting. She was Weiss Schnee, heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, she didn't need </span>
  <em>
    <span>friendship</span>
  </em>
  <span>, especially not from some no-name commoner! "No, I do not need a friend." Weiss replied curtly, "especially not </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Nah!" What. "That sounds like a bunch of crap! You're all alone and you walked off with a big pout on your face, that's the look of someone who needs a friend!" Oh Dust the weird redhead had wrapped an arm behind her back, the other moving slowly in front of them as though following some absent horizon. "And if you need a friend, look no further than </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nora Valkyrie</span>
  </em>
  <span>!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girl continued to speak, but Weiss couldn't make out exactly what was being said any longer. She had intended for today to go smoothly after yesterday's multitude of disasters, but now she was trapped by some overactive redhead who didn't seem to be able to get the fact that Weiss was not interested in a friendship through her thick skull! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was punishment, wasn't it? Some fickle way the spirits housed within Dust were punishing her for some foolish slight? She refused to let this break her; she was Weiss Schnee, not some feeble waif, she would persevere no matter what trials befell her at this academy, and she would </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> admit to her father that she shouldn't have come to Beacon.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Nora had grabbed an extra while she was off getting dressed. Ren wasn’t sure whether or not he should be surprised or not, given how unusual his closest friend could be. In fact, this wasn’t the first time she’d done this sort of thing, though usually it was one of the acolytes at the church, who were far more accommodating than the rather beleaguered looking Atlesian woman who was sitting with them now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t sure if he should say something or not, and was more than content to listen to Nora’s excited speeches while he ate his modest breakfast. Noticing the white-haired girl hadn’t actually gotten anything to eat, no doubt because of Nora’s over-eagerness in collecting a hefty pile of pancakes, Ren gave a lighthearted chuckle, before offering the other girl some of his salad, which he had yet to touch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It should be fine,” he attempted to reassure the Atlesian with a polite nod, “I haven’t eaten any of it yet.” She seemed a bit hesitant to take it, but after a weary glance towards his closest friend, she sighed and accepted it. “I apologize for Nora, I know she can be a bit of a handful at times.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A bit?” The woman whimpered, giving what Ren could only describe as reluctantly pleading eyes as she took a few bites of the salad. “She’s decided that I’m to be her friend whether I like it or not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, Nora can be… excitable like that.” Ren replied, his eyes showing a mirth he didn’t vocalize. “My name is Lie Ren, I do hope that her attitude hasn’t harmed your opinion of us too much.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s… fine.” The pale girl replied, clearly a bit hesitant, not that he blamed her at all. Silence between the two reigned after that brief reassurance, which Ren didn’t particularly mind. It was easier to listen to Nora that way, the cheerful redhead looking a bit bloated after rushing through her stack of pancakes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Letting out a loud, satisfied sigh, Nora slumped down dramatically on the table, giving Ren a wide grin, the Mistralan boy giving her a nod in return. “Ren~!” She drew out his name for several seconds, eyes wide with a pout. “How long do we have to wait before we go get our gear? I want to kill some Grimm!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure it won’t be too long, Nora.” Ren said calmly, taking another bite of his now smaller meal, looking over to check that their unexpected guest was eating the salad he’d given her. “Are you ready for the initiation today, Miss Schnee?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh!” Ren hadn’t expected her to be surprised he could tell who she was, to him it was pretty obvious, given how well known she was. He and Nora might not have the highest opinions of the Schnee Dust Company and its actions, but he recognized that she was not responsible for the actions of the man running it, and thought it proper to give her a chance. As to whether </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nora</span>
  </em>
  <span> recognized her, that he couldn’t say. “I’m prepared. I’ll be sure to make my family proud.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, a noble goal.” Ren replied politely, before noticing Nora’s pleading expression and smiling almost unnoticeably, though he was certain his friend could see it. “Don’t worry, Nora, we’re both going to do well in the initiation as well, we’ll just have to make sure to stick with each other, no matter what.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you two know how teams will be forming, then?” The Atlesian heiress spoke up, looking a bit more invigorated now that the focus was on the upcoming initiation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not a clue!” Nora cheerfully chirped, giving a wide grin. “I was thinking we could try bribing the headmaster to make sure we’re on the same team, do you think that’d work? No, wait, he already has a school. Shoot, what should we do, Ren!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure we’ll figure it out, Nora.” He replied, his voice unchanging as he finished up what was left of his meal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But Ren~! We need to be sure!” He just smiled ever so slightly at that. “We can’t risk being on separate teams! Can you imagine, us? Not together? Not that we’re together-together! Just regular together!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you don’t know how teams are forming, how are you going to plan to stick together?” Weiss attempted to ask, not realizing the intensity with which Nora could focus on an idea without a hint of planning or foreknowledge. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, that’s simple!” Nora exclaimed, giving the heiress an overly enthusiastic shake of the shoulder, leaving the Atlesian thoroughly dazed. “We’ll have a signal! A </span>
  <em>
    <span>secret</span>
  </em>
  <span> signal! A noise or something! Like a sloth! Ren, do a sloth impression, and I’ll come find you!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nora? I don’t think sloths make a lot of noise.” The excitable redhead perked up at his voice, eyes ever wide with a joyful cheer he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to match. “I’m sure that we’ll be able to find each other out there, now let’s get to the lockers, before things get too crowded. We need to get our gear.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay!” She shot up from the table, leaving Weiss a bit shaken by the sudden movement. The heiress didn’t look to enjoy getting grabbed by the arm and dragged along with her, either, but there was no escaping a vice grip like Nora’s. Ren would know, he’d tried several times as a child, before he got more comfortable with them. Those were… not simpler times, but different. Harder in many ways, but easier in others.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Standing up, he collected their breakfast trays and brought them to the drop off, before joining his very impatient friend and the weary looking Atlesian, trying not to smile too much at Weiss’ dismay. He might not hold contempt for the heiress, despite the company she was set to inherit sending constant solicitors to the church in an attempt to grab their land, but he did think it was a bit funny seeing someone so prim and proper being dragged along by Nora.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not that he’d ever admit it.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Breakfast with Ruby had been a curious experience for Pyrrha, but not necessarily a bad one by any means. They were some of the first students to the cafeteria, so there were thankfully fewer stares than she’d feared, and her short companion didn’t seem to notice them at all. No, the shorter redhead was far too absorbed by the prospect of a buffet-style breakfast selection. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finding out about the younger, as it was soon revealed, girl was a fascinating experience, and a great relief, as Ruby had not a single clue who Pyrrha actually was. So far as the shorter girl was concerned, Pyrrha was just another initiate, and that was exactly how the champion had wanted it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had heard of the various nomadic caravans that wandered Eastern Sanus, and it was quite a delight to meet someone from one of them. Ruby was fairly reluctant to go into the more revealing details of her clan, but she did at least give some of the basics of what it was like living out in the wilds outside the safety of city walls, wandering from town to town trading unusual goods. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pyrrha ate her typical portioned meal as had been assigned to her years ago by a personal trainer sent to her by her agent, while her companion took helping after helping of all kinds of foods, particularly the meats and sweet things, and doused the whole pile in maple syrup. Apparently, sugary things and meat prepared like this weren’t particularly common when traveling, and Ruby relished at the chance to indulge a little. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The voracity with which the younger girl ate was definitely entertaining, and Pyrrha had to do her best not to stare, though she couldn’t help but take the occasional peek to see how her new companion was handling things. The taller redhead was hesitant to actually call the younger girl a friend, but perhaps that could be true sometime later down the line. It was nice to have company either way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Things were not going great, now, though. Ruby had run off to get her weapon and say hello to her sister, and in her stead, someone else had approached. Weiss Schnee, for who else could the pale-haired Atlesian standing before her be, looked quite delighted to have spotted Pyrrha without her companion. “Greetings, Pyrrha.” The heiress said, her tone that sort of polite Mistral’s Champion had grown to hate over years of dealing with it. “I hope you are having a good stay at Beacon Academy so far.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It is nice enough.” Pyrrha replied, her voice matching the same tone, as much as she wished not to. No matter how she disliked the culture that came with being a celebrity, it had also become a part of her, and no matter what, she couldn’t separate from it. “Has your stay been pleasant?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course.” The slightest hesitation in Weiss’ reply was all that Pyrrha needed to hear to determine that it had, not, in fact, been pleasant. Still, it wasn’t something she was actually allowed to comment on, just another thing to acknowledge and ignore. “I was quite delighted to hear that you were attending Beacon Academy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought it would be a worthy challenge.” Not technically a lie, that was one of the reasons that Pyrrha had sought out learning at the academy as opposed to Haven back in Mistral. “I assume you chose Beacon for similar reasons?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, yes, I did.” Weiss gave a polite nod, before giving a slightly eager smile, which only showed the champion that she was having as much trouble keeping up this facade as she was, yet persisted anyway. “So, Pyrrha, have you given any thought to whose team you’d like to be on?” Oh, of course she’d ask that. She shouldn’t have expected differently. “I’m sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong, well-known individual as yourself!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm, I’m not quite sure.” Literally anybody that wasn’t named Weiss Schnee at this point. “I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I was thinking maybe we could be on a team together.” Of course she was, what else could Pyrrha expect. The Schnee heiress had clearly sought her out for the </span>
  <em>
    <span>advantage</span>
  </em>
  <span> that their partnership might offer, not for any actual desire to get to know her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pyrrha frowned, not wanting to just be another addition to the other girl’s record. She knew she was supposed to say “yes,” but some part of her was screaming no, she didn’t want that. Anything but that. “I’m not sure our skill sets are complimentary, but who can say for sure?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure that my semblance and Dust skills would compliment your fighting style perfectly!” If Pyrrha were to guess, she had even dreamed of it, if the hint of hopefulness in her eyes was anything to go by. It was surprising to see that Weiss Schnee had so much trouble keeping her public demeanor “proper,” it made her hesitate in how she’d felt about her so far. Surely someone like Weiss was used to the same sort of behavior she was following now? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I suppose we will have to see.” Pyrrha forced out, not sure how she should view the Atlesian. Part of her was still sure it was simply a ploy for status, not that she really needed any more, but she couldn’t help but think that she genuinely did want to be partners with her. It was getting harder and harder to get a good read on Weiss, and that only made Pyrrha feel more uncomfortable with the whole situation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thankfully, something was there to intervene, in the form of Ruby, along with a blonde boy she didn’t recognize, and a blonde girl she recognized as Signal Academy’s top graduate. “Pyrrha!” The shorter redhead cheerfully chirped, waving her arm back and forth enthusiastically. “Sorry for keeping you waiting!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not at all, Ruby!” Pyrrha tried not to sound </span>
  <em>
    <span>too</span>
  </em>
  <span> grateful, but she definitely was, returning the excited wave with a polite one of her own, an actually genuine smile on her face. “We were just discussing teams, had you put any thought into them, yet?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pyrrha noticed her new acquaintance dart her eyes briefly towards Weiss, who looked not at all thrilled to see the shorter redhead, despite her attempts to look demure. "Well, um," Ruby nervously squeaked out, "I don't know a lot of people here, but maybe you? You, and Jaune, and Yang! That makes a full team, right?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Excuse me!" The taller redhead was about to agree when Weiss interjected, clearly enraged at the younger girl's assertation. "Do you have any idea who it is you're talking to right now? I mean, you didn't recognize me, so I'm sure that a vagabond like yourself wouldn't, but I thought I'd ask."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was… Weiss trying to somehow impress Pyrrha by harassing her (hopefully) friend-to-be? It mattered little, as Ruby weathered the insult without giving in, just giving a slight frown before she replied, "no? She's Pyrrha."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Just</span>
  </em>
  <span> Pyrrha?" Oh wow, Weiss really hadn't been counting on such a simple, lighthearted answer from the younger girl, as it had made her lose what composure she'd had before. "This is Pyrrha Nikos. She graduated top of her class at Signal Academy, has been the reigning champion of the Mistral Regional Tournaments for four years, Dust would you recognize her if I said she was on the front of Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's you?" The unfamiliar blonde boy, Jaune, interrupted, though he soon went silent with a shrivelling glare from Weiss. She then turned her focus back on Ruby, who seemed relatively unphased at the severe stare.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, after hearing all that, do you really think you're in a position to ask Pyrrha if she can be on your team?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To Ruby's credit, she didn't immediately back down at the rather hostile way Weiss was addressing her. Instead, the younger redhead gave Pyrrha a sheepish smile. "Well, uh, I really think that's up to Pyrrha, don't you agree?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Weiss appeared flummoxed by the response, turning to Pyrrha to make some other fruitless assertion no doubt, when she was interrupted by the voice of the deputy headmaster, coming through the speakers set up across the campus. "Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation?" The lockers became a bustle of rushing students suddenly, a dim of voices sprouting up now that it was time for initiation. "Again, all first-year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sorry, we'd better go!" Pyrrha voiced loudly, so that Weiss couldn't continue her diatribe against Ruby for wanting to be her partner. Ruby would be nice, she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders and didn't really know who Pyrrha was at all. Maybe Jaune, if not the shorter redhead? He also seemed to be blissfully unaware of her status. Even Yang would be an acceptable choice, even if she did know who Pyrrha was; Pyrrha recognized her, as well, from the briefing she'd been forced to sit through by her agent, going over some potential candidates for Beacon. Yang was explicitly not someone she was to partner with, if her agent had his way, as the top graduate from Signal Academy had a rather lengthy disciplinary record.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It didn't matter right now, though. Beacon's staff had been remarkably tight lipped about what the initiation entailed and how teams were formed; as far as Pyrrha knew, nothing Weiss, or anyone else, could do would influence the team selection. She could only hope that things would work out in her favor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Seeing Ruby was giving her a reassuring smile, Pyrrha returned it. No sense hesitating now, they had an initiation to report to.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>"For years, you have trained to become warriors," Ozpin spoke calmly as he overlooked the gathered students at the cliffside overlooking the Emerald Forest, making certain not to linger too long on any particular students. This year he had particularly high hopes, with several hopeful students who stood above some of the usual caliber of applicants. That was not, of course, to say that he did not value each prospective Huntsman and Huntress, but he had great hopes that they could help to guide the world to a better state. "Today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams." Glynda had taken over speaking, which allowed the headmaster to dwell in his own thoughts for a moment. He was admittedly disappointed that Taiyang hadn't been able to arrive with Yang, he had been hoping to extend his offer once more. With the opportunity to be reunited with his long estranged daughter, something the enigmatic man had been happy to arrange, he was hoping that would be enough incentive. It mattered little, though, at least for now. He would extend the invitation again once Patch was safe, his focus should be on the present, and on Glynda, lest he annoy his deputy once again. "Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates... today."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon." Ozpin took over from Glynda, the faintest glimmer of mirth in his eyes at the startled exclamations from several of the hopeful students gathered before him. Maybe it was a bit mean, but there was always something a little fun about how the students would react to learning their teams would be assigned, not chosen. Assigned wasn't </span>
  <em>
    <span>quite</span>
  </em>
  <span> the right word for it, but it wasn't wrong to say he had some influence in it. "So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years." He continued, holding a perfectly calm expression that matched the steady neutrality of his voice. The students were, of course, shocked by this, and he couldn't entirely blame them. This method of selecting partners had been in place since his predecessor,  who had taken over after the last King of Vale's passing some sixty-seven years ago. Having students select partners through eye contact could occasionally cause problems, but overall, they were typically able to work past whatever differences they might have. "After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you will die."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes narrowed on the Arc boy, who chuckled nervously. Thankfully, he could tell the boy's Aura had been unlocked, so he wasn't concerned enough to alert Professors Port and Oobleck to be ready to assist. "You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics." Ozpin explained, eyes once again passing over the gathered students. Of the sixty or so gathered, only forty of them, twenty pairs, would be able to gather relics, assuming they were all able to survive the day. He hated the risk involved with such a test, but he knew that it was necessary to ensure that only the strongest candidates would become trainees at the academy. "Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If you cannot complete this task, please activate your scroll's beacon, so that you may be retrieved." Ozpin noted, offering an understanding smile. "There is no shame in being unable to continue, now, or when you are in the forest. You will not serve yourself or the people of Remnant by dying or being critically injured today."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few students backed away, which was not a surprise. Thankfully, the candidates he had the most hope in remained, his slight smile grew a hint wider. "Very well." Looking around at the initiates again, he gave a confident nod. "Any questions?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Um, sir!" The headmaster heard the Arc boy ask, his hand raised as though it were a primary school classroom. "Sir, I have a question!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Good!" Ozpin announced as though nothing had been said. "Now, take your positions."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sir!" The Arc boy was waving his hand back and forth, eliciting a giggle from the young Miss Rose who was on the plate beside him. On the other side of the gathered line of students, the pneumatic tiles began activating, sending students into the air above the Emerald Forest. "Sir! What, um, what sort of landing… strategy… thing are we supposed to use? Are you handing out parachutes or something?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No, you will be falling." Ozpin stated plainly, not particularly concerned. Some of them might be untrained, but he was confident that their peers would pick up the slack, even when it came to landings. "You will be using your own… 'landing strategy,' Mr. Arc."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So, um," the sound of more students being launched into the air was quite present, but it seemed that the Arc boy hadn't quite caught on. Oh well, he would understand it well enough. Miss Xiao Long was off, and Miss Rose was quick to join her as the young man continued to speak. "What exactly is a landing strateg-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He never got to finish the question, the sound of the pneumatic catapult beneath him springing followed by his screaming filling the air. With as much Aura as he appeared to have, Ozpin was confident that the Arc boy would be safe, even if he had one of the rougher times landing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The headmaster took a sip from his mug of cocoa, turning his gaze towards Glynda. She didn't look entirely pleased, clearly worried about the fact that the boy had no idea what he was doing. Ozpin gave an ineffectual shrug, which didn't seem to put her at ease at all, but there was little they could do now, but watch and observe their students' actions.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Jaune had never really been one for prayer. Like the rest of his family, he'd been raised in a fair agnostic household, with neither of his parents particularly religious, though his mother told him a little of the faith common in Argus, her hometown, when he was younger. Unfortunately, he didn't think any of the Gods worshiped in Northern Anima would be particularly interested in answering his prayers, and he didn't want to return to the Great River quite so quickly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was… falling wasn't quite the right word, in his opinion. Rather, he was flying at a high speed with a slight, but definite, decline towards the ground. He hadn't really known what to expect with Beacon's mysterious initiation, all he'd managed to glean off the CCT before falsifying transcripts for the academy was that the initiation was kept very intentionally vague. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, now he knew why, he supposed. It'd be hard to get people applying to your academy, no matter how prestigious, if they knew it was going to entail being launched by some sort of spring plate into a forest filled with Grimm. At least, it sounded like it was filled with Grimm, he hadn't really seen yet, given he was still in mid-descent, arms and legs spread as far as he could to try slowing his momentum.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A loud crack rang out in the air, which he identified as a gunshot, and very suddenly something red was bolting towards him. Reaching out to grab the darting object, Jaune found himself propelled suddenly with it, what he now identified as a very nice looking javelin firmly planting itself into a tree, accompanied by a loud pop.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That… was his shoulder. Ow. Dropping to the ground, he grit his teeth, trying to ignore the pain. A good note for next time, don't grab weird objects coming his direction at a high speed, just try to dodge them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slumping against the tree still implanted with the javelin, Jaune gave a pained sigh. Hopefully whoever decided to throw that darn thing in the first place would come by soon, because boy did he have some choice words for them!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The first of those words being pretty, which he thankfully didn't say aloud, as the tall redhead stepped through the underbrush, shield on her left wrist as she looked around. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, hello!" She greeted him cheerfully, giving a wave. He did his best to return it, but it was kind of hard with the whole "hurt arm" thing he now had going. She seemed to be quite perceptive, honing in on it immediately. "Are you okay? Do you need me to look at that?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Um, maybe?" Jaune mumbled sheepishly. He'd have scratched the back of his head, but he was a little preoccupied with the immense pain his arm was in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The tall redhead, Pyrrha if he remembered (think of the cereal box, that meant she was important!), stepped up to him, placing her hands gently on his shoulder, inspecting the damage. "Oh dear, it's dislocated." She lamented, giving a small frown. "Do you want me to set it for you?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh, sure?" Jaune wasn't sure what that really meant, the only time he'd ever really hurt himself like this at all was when he broke his foot when he was eight, and even then it was a different kind of p- Oh dear Gods that really hurt! She had pushed his arm back into proper position, and it was a lot more uncomfortable than he'd expected. "Ow! I didn't realize you meant like that!" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sorry!" Pyrrha replied almost instantaneously, head dipping as her eyes cast downward. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's okay, really!" Jaune was quick to reassure her, giving her a dopey grin he knew was overconfident. Extending his newly reset arm, he offered a hand, sheepishly scratching at the back of his neck with the other. "We, uh, didn't get a really introduction before. The name's Jaune Arc, it's nice to meet you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! My name is Pyrrha Nikos," she replied, accepting his hand and giving a firm shake. Wow, she seemed strong, if that grip was anything to go by. She had a smile on her face at saying her name, but it was one that felt blatantly fake. Jaune might've been a bit dense, but even he could tell she wasn't smiling out of happiness. "You, uh, probably already knew that!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I didn't, actually!" He replied, chuckingly awkwardly. "If it wasn't for that crabby girl, I'd honestly have no clue who you were. I still don't really get what all that stuff was she was talking about, but it doesn't matter much out here, right?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's right." She seemed visibly relieved at his statement, her expression relaxing, the smile on her face becoming far more genuine. Holding up her hand, the javelin in the tree returned to her grasp, the faintest outline of something black shimmering around it. Weird. Jaune wondered if maybe that was her semblance. He'd read about those back at Domremy's library, of course he'd lied and said he was looking for comic books at the time, there was no way he could let his parents know he was researching Huntsman stuff. "Do you have your weapon, you'll need it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah, yeah, right here!" Jaune nodded, unsheathing Crocea Mors and deploying the sheath-shield. Shrugging nervously, he showed off the sword-shield combo. "It's not as fancy as a lot of the other stuff people seem to have, but it's what I've got."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It should be more than adequate." Pyrrha stated calmly, continuing to smile at him. "If we encounter any Nevermores, I should be able to handle them with Miló's rifle configuration." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sure!" Jaune certainly hoped that would be adequate, because he wouldn't be able to help at all. "So, uh, let's get going!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course!" Pyrrha agreed, the two of them starting to lead at the same time, before a series of awkward chuckles was shared between the two partners. "Right, um, why don't you take the lead, I'll keep Miló in rifle configuration so I can use it safely from range."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, uh, okay." Jaune agreed, giving a nervous grin. He wasn't sure he was the best choice to lead, but it was definitely true you should keep your ranged fighter behind the one who can only fight in melee - he hadn't played over two hundred hours of Battleground: Remnant for nothing, after all!</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Blake had planned things out so well, especially for something on the fly. She was going to make sure that she partnered with someone who displayed more than adequate combat skills, and looked like they wouldn't be unbearably racist against Faunus. That, of course, meant the Schnee Heiress was off the table. Most of the trainees, quite frankly, given the way she'd seen them treat some of the other Beacon hopefuls that happened to be Faunus. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, none of this mattered now, as her plans had been thoroughly dashed by a blur of red and rose petals suddenly colliding with her mid jump. Now both she and her unintended partner were laying on the ground in a heap, the young redhead on top of her wearing a dazed expression. Honestly, if it was someone else and not herself, Blake might've found the situation funny to watch, she'd seen similar back when Trifa had landed atop Ilia during that- No. No, she couldn't think about that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Um, are you okay?" She asked, scooting out from beneath the girl, who looked to have Beowolves in her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Huh?" The younger girl, Ruby from the night before, squeaked, jumping up abruptly. "Oh Brothers, I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying enough attention and I ran right into you!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, I noticed." Blake replied dryly, standing up as well and brushing herself off. "I suppose we're partners, then?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, gosh. I'm sorry!" Ruby exclaimed, head dipping as she stared awkwardly at the ground, swinging one foot in front of her in a nervous kicking motion. "If you don't want to be partners, I don't blame you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't worry about it," Blake reassured the younger girl with a gentle smile, giving her a pat on the shoulder. "I could've been paying more attention, too. Besides, I don't think we get to try switching, since we've already made eye contact."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Right, um, I'm Ruby!" The shorter girl bumbled out, before her cheeks colored with embarrassment and she shook her head. "Sorry! You already knew that. We met yesterday. I just, um, right. Sorry."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's fine, Ruby, really." Blake chuckled slightly, before she noticed the diminutive girl giving her an awkward look. "Is something wrong?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, um, it's… y-your bow is uh, c-coming undone." Ruby mumbled, eyes averted towards the ground. Blake felt her blood freeze, hand quickly shooting up to her hair, where, sure enough, the bow she had been concealing her ears with had begun to come undone, and expose her secret. Her hand started to drift subtly towards Gambol Shroud, but the girl continued to speak. "I, um, I get it. B-Back at the Caravan, some of our clan had to hide their traits, t-to trade with villages. I-I won't say anything."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blake let out an audible sigh, lowering her hand from her weapon. "Thank you." She said, quickly adjusting her bow back to its proper position. "You mentioned you were from a Caravan last night, I just wasn't sure it was one of the… safe ones."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Y-Yeah." Ruby nodded, still looking a bit ashamed at noticing Blake's trait. The Faunus gave her a reassuring smile, genuinely grateful that at least the person who noticed wasn't going to antagonize her for not being human. "I-I mean, all the Caravans are accepting to Faunus, but we have a lot of them in our clan, even some who've joined after, um, escaping the mines."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blake frowned at the mention of the penal mines Faunus were often sent to for rather minor crimes, one of the many ways the Schnee Dust Company was able to exploit cheap Faunus labor while still touting that it paid its employees equal wages be they human or not. "I'm grateful to your people for providing sanctuary." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's the right thing to do!" Ruby chirped, expression warming as she looked to feel a bit more at ease. She started walking along, Blake trailing just behind her as they continued to converse. "Even if they don't choose to join the Caravan, we offer a place of respite. Theresa would always say that we were a place for weary travelers, no matter who they were."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"This Theresa sounds like a wise woman." Blake noted, pursing her lips slightly as she pondered for a moment. "Is she the leader of your Caravan?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Um, well… not really?" That wasn't much of an answer. It certainly sounded as though she was important, and Blake wanted to get a proper gauge on exactly who she was dealing with. "She doesn't lead the Caravan, but she provides advice to the chieftain."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"But she raised you?" Blake inquired, which earned move nervous shuffling from her new partner. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, for the most part. I-I guess it doesn't hurt to tell you, since we're partners now." Ruby acquiesced, looking back at Blake with a timid smile. "I, um, I got separated from my family when I was pretty young, and Theresa found me. She brought me into the Caravan, and I was raised there."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She didn't bring you back to your family?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I didn't remember them." The younger girl stated plainly, before realizing she should elaborate. "I… lost a lot of my memory, of my early childhood. I knew I </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> a family before Theresa found me, but I couldn't remember very much. I knew that my mom had already passed, and that I had a dad and a sister, but nothing beyond that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"But Yang from last night, she was your sister, right?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah. Professor Ozpin knew who I was, and he arranged to reunite us." Ruby explained, a relieved smile on her face. "It's a good thing he did, because I never would've recognized Yang on my own, and having him there helped smooth things out a lot."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's good." Blake didn't mean to sound so disinterested, and she honestly wasn't, she just wasn't sure what she could say to that. Sure, she had been separated from her family for about five years, but it was her choice at the time. As much as she wanted to be reunited, she was sure that her parents didn't want to see her now. Deciding to change the subject, she spoke a little louder. "So, how did you get into Beacon, since you were with the Caravans?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah, that's a bit of a big story." Ruby chuckled sheepishly. "I guess I'll tell it while we follow the path to the temple."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Wait, you can see a path?" Blake asked, a bit surprised that she had missed something that her partner had seen with human eyes, given the better vision Faunus were known for.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, um!" Ruby seemed very nervous all of the sudden. "I-I mean, l-like the opposite direction of the cliffs. Yeah. That."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blake felt like that was a very dubious answer, but maybe the girl was just a bit too awkward for her own good at times. "Okay, lead the way."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Right!" Ruby gave an enthusiastic salute, which earned a chuckle from the Faunus. "So, our Caravan had just come to a stop in the Forever Fall, outside one of Vale's northern gates. Theresa said she needed me to make a stop in the city for Dust, and when Theresa says something, you do it. It was a little weird, given how late it was, but I did as I was told, and came across the only open store I could find at the time: From Dust till Dawn."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The two continued making their way through the forest as Ruby revealed the events of last weekend, the feline Faunus listening with unexpected interest, asking little questions from time to time. </span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>"Woohoo!" Unlike most of her fellow initiates, not only was Yang undaunted by the prospect of being launched into the Emerald Forest, she was actively reveling in the excitement of it. She let out another cheer as fire exploded from Ember Celica, propelling her even further. It was only after she came to a stop that she realized that launching herself so far ahead may have been detrimental to her quest to find Ruby as her partner. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Did Ruby even know how to land properly? She had a cool semblance, but would that help her get to the ground without being turned to paste? Yang shook her head violently, trying to dismiss those kind of thoughts. Ruby had survived a nearly two-hundred foot drop into freezing water as a five year old, there was no way she would get hurt in the comparably meager drop into the Emerald Forest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ruby!" She shouted out, making her way through the underbrush with her weapons at the ready, just in case. Damn, she really had no idea where her sister might be. She hadn't run into any Grimm yet, but the sounds of combat drew her attention. Following it, she made sure her sunglasses were obstructing her eyes to prevent eye contact, and crept up to the source of the noise. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Schnee jerk was in the middle of a heated battle between her and half a dozen Beowolves. In all honesty, such numbers should've been easy to handle, but Yang could immediately tell she was not performing as well as she ought to. Her movements were too rigid, like she was trying to perform as perfectly as she possibly could. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yang was about to move on, leaving her to the fight, when Weiss stepped back and her stupid platformed heel got caught up in a root, sending the Atlesian stumbling onto her back. Shit. Just as a scream escaped from the heiress' lips, Yang exploded in front of her, punches punctuated by firing Ember Celica leaving smoldering remains where the Beowolf coming for Weiss had been. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Aren't you supposed to be good at this!" Yang snapped to Weiss, who was busy gaping at her from the ground while the brawler ducked beneath another Beowolf's swinging claw, before sending it careening into a tree with a powerful punch. Deciding not to concentrate on the Schnee girl's staring, Yang turned her focus back on the remaining four Beowolves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With an explosion from Ember Celica, she launched herself forward, planting her fist firmly in the head of one Beowolf, which had the decency to crumple to the ground and begin dissolving. Three to go. Kicking off the ground with another blast from her gauntlets, Yang reversed direction, charging the next Beowolf, which was an easy enough kill. Seriously, how did that Schnee jerkwad get off being so hoity toity towards her sister yesterday when she couldn't even handle this pathetic group of Grimm?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yang was so busy killing the Beowolves, she hadn't even noticed the large shadow behind her until a blur of white passed by her with a meaty thunk. Turning to look, she Weiss, now having stood up, her rapier thoroughly impaled through the maw of an Ursa, which twitched ineffectually before beginning to dissolve. Yang was about to compliment her, when the white-haired girl smirked at her. "Aren't you supposed to be good at this?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh, this brat had teeth after all. Yang grinned back at the smirk, undaunted by the girl's haughtiness. "I guess we're partners, then." The brawler announced, lifting up her sunglasses. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I suppose so." Weiss reluctantly agreed, lips pursed in a frown as she shut her eyes. "I suppose this is acceptable. You're no Nikos, but together, we should be able to perform excellently."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh you're going to have to lose that attitude quickly, Princess." Yang teased, though she was serious about the attitude thing. That sort of mindset was not going to be conducive in a team environment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't call me- Whatever." Weiss huffed, frowning again. "Follow me, we need to get to those relics."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why are you walking that way, then?" Yang snarked, as Weiss began walking in the direction of the cliffs they'd been launched from. "We're supposed to head north, remember?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Wha- I knew that!" Weiss snapped, puffing up her chest in what Yang could only call an ineffective attempt to seem bigger than she was. "I was just… testing you! To make sure you know where to go!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gods, she was really haughty. At least with someone like Weiss, it was more of an adorable brattiness and less of ugly thing like it would've been if she'd been partnered with Cardin. That jerkwad was absolutely unbearable, and if there was one thing Yang regretted more than anything about thinking she'd been straight, it was entertaining his advances briefly at Signal. He showed his true colors soon enough, and while she'd taught him a lesson, he definitely never took it to heart. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sure thing, Princess." Yang teased, causing the heiress to huff up once more, cheeks a lovely rosy color. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Please</span>
  </em>
  <span> do not call me that." Weiss insisted, a surprising sincerity to her voice that gave Yang pause. While it was true she was happy to dig at the Atlesian for the way she had treated Ruby a day ago, she didn't want to take it too far. "Look, I… I know that neither of us got off on the right foot yesterday, and I'm willing to admit I may have... overstepped my bounds. Can we please move beyond that? We are partners now, whether we like it or not."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, sure." Yang agreed after a moment of reflection, offering a hand for Weiss to shake. "I'm willing to give this a shot, so please don't make me regret it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I should be saying that to you." Weiss retorted, shooting Yang another smirk. Yeah, she could handle a partner like this, assuming she did manage to get her head in the game. "Let's get going."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>If someone had asked Nora what she thought about Ren, she would easily say that he was awesome; he was her best friend, he had been with her for most of her life, and there was nothing she wouldn't do for him. Hearing the sounds of fighting, she approached with caution, and when she arrived, she discovered her best friend finishing off the head of a King Taijitu. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Letting out what she assumed to be the sound of a sloth, Nora laughed gleefully as she drew Magnhild, coming down on the remaining head of the Grimm and annihilating it in a beautiful explosion of pink. Looking up at Ren, the redhead grinned widely. "Nora?" Her best friend addressed her, "I don't think that's what a sloth sounds like."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Boop!" Nora exclaimed cheerfully, running over and poking Ren in the nose, her cheeks a light shade of pink. It might've seemed like a silly thing to say, but it was an expression of affection from her to him that the duo had grown quite accustomed to in the years they'd spent together. Seeing a hint of a smile on her friend's face, and the mirth in his eyes, her own smile grew wider. "I'm glad you managed to handle that! Can't have you be gobbled up, can we?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No, I suppose we can't, Nora." Ren replied with a chuckle. Nora was happy to see him relaxing a bit with her, he could be a bit rigid around other people, so the fact he wasn't around her always managed to warm her heart a little. "We should get going."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yep!" She excitedly agreed, half-tempted to wrap an arm around his, though she managed to find the self control not to. "Do you have any idea where we need to go?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course." Ren nodded, holding up a compass. "Sometimes, the most practical solution is the best one."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The duo made their way north, Nora taking lead, of course. The forest was sadly mostly empty, though she guessed that was because other initiates were drawing the Grimm away from them. "Count your blessings, I guess!" She chirped, earning a confused look from Ren. "Oh, don't worry, just thinking out loud!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What are you thinking about?" Her friend entertained, offering a slight smile. Nora was already smiling, so she just smiled a little more in response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Aside from how great it is we managed to be partners?" She asked playfully, earning a rare roll of the eyes from Ren. Satisfied, she continued with a proper response. "Just wondering where all the Grimm are. Just walking through the woods loses its charm when you've done a lot of that looking for a place to stay."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It has been remarkably quiet." Ren acknowledged, frowning slightly. "It has me a bit worried. I was expecting for more than just the Taijitu, though I won't complain about good fortune."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I do hope in one is getting hurt." Nora lamented, before going quiet for a time, just enjoying her time walking with Ren. At least twenty minutes passed by uneventfully, until they entered a small clearing, finding it occupied by a lone Ursa. A wide grin grew on Nora's lips as she tightened her grip on Magnhild. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ren, obviously noticing the devious plan forming in her head, looked a bit worried. "Nora," he spoke meekly, already aware there was no point in discouraging her. "Please don't try riding the Ursa."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh heck no, Ren!" She denied, as expected, of course, charging forward with a manic glint in her eyes. "It's time for a </span>
  <em>
    <span>rodeo</span>
  </em>
  <span>!"</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>"The last pair has been formed, sir." Glynda noted, tapping away at her scroll's screen. Like Ozpin, she had been observing the initiates as they were filmed by a series of small drones that originated from Atlas. The headmaster was glad to have such a dedicated deputy assisting him in this, as he had once again gotten lost in watching a single pair instead of switching around. "Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren. Poor boy, I can't imagine those two getting along."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I wouldn't be so sure, Glynda." Ozpin replied, having changed his view to the final pairing when the deputy headmaster mentioned it. On his screen, the redhead was gleefully charging an Ursa, wrapping her hammer's shaft around its neck as she climbed its back, while behind her, the Mistralan teen was following behind her with a look of tired familiarity. "They've already got a connection far deeper than the other pairs we've seen forming."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Perhaps. He certainly seems to be quick to do as she suggests." Glynda noted, before her tone soured. "Either way, they're both better off than Miss Nikos."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh? And why is that?" Ozpin inquired, before returning his view to Miss Rose, who was currently nearing the abandoned temple that housed the relics, her partner trailing behind cautiously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't care what his transcripts say, Mister Arc is clearly not ready for this level of combat." Glynda critiqued, Ozpin quickly shifting his scroll to view the pair they were now discussing. "I guess we'll find out soon enough. They should all be nearing the temple soon enough, if they don't get sidetracked." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sure they won't be long, Glynda." Ozpin reassured her, before switching his view back to Miss Rose. He was admittedly a little worried about her, having brought her to the academy two years early had left a bad taste in his mouth, and he wanted to make sure nothing went wrong. Switching his view again, he chuckled at the images of Yang Xiao Long and Weiss Schnee bickering with one another. "I'd be more worried about Miss Schnee. She's got a tough partner to handle, if she can't get along."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah, yes, Miss Xiao Long." Glynda didn't sound anywhere near as thrilled as Ozpin was. "I know that you have confidence in her, but I am concerned about her record back at Signal. She might have top marks, but the frequency with which she got in fights with other students is troubling."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I suspect that won't be as great of an issue, now that she is reunited with her sister." The headmaster reassured, not blaming the woman for her concern. Had Miss Rose not arrived a week ago, he might've shared the same concerns. "Any thoughts on Miss Rose?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She's performing better than I'd feared." Glynda admitted, reluctance clear in her voice. "Though I must say, this might be the first time I've seen an initiate run into their partner quite so literally."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, Miss Rose has been quite a few firsts for the Academy, hasn't she?" Ozpin chuckled. Hopefully this gamble would pay off, but unfortunately, it would be some time before they'd see whether or not it was worth it. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Knights and Towers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Partnerships have been formed, but that's only the first step! It'll take a relic to pass the initiation, as well as facing down whatever Grimm they might come across in the meantime!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here we go! Gonna work on a chapter of Hereditary and see if I can't get it out soon as well! </p>
<p>This was a lot of fun to write, I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please feel free to comment, review, critique, or just leave a cheerful message! Every bit helps a ton!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>This was bad. This was </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>bad. Jaune had never actually heard of a Grimm called a Sphinx, and he had tried to learn some basic knowledge from his visits to the library with Indigo. Specifically, he'd favored a book called </span>
  <em>
    <span>Grimm of Vale</span>
  </em>
  <span>, which has rather detailed descriptions and drawings of many of the Grimm that favored the Kingdom's lands, be they Creeps or Beowolves or Ravagers or so many more, but not of Sphinxes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His new partner, one Pyrrha Nikos, seemed a bit more familiar with what a Sphinx was, given that she had named it, but that did little to reassure him. She was just as startled to see one in the middle of a cave in the Emerald Forest, and even worse, had suggested that it might be an ancient Grimm going off the scarring that marred its feline mask. The intrepid duo (they were simply advancing </span>
  <em>
    <span>away</span>
  </em>
  <span> from the massive Grimm, not retreating!) was currently running as quick as they could to get out of range of its fireballs. Who on Remnant said it was okay for Grimm to spit fire like that? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Especially </span>
  </em>
  <span>in a forest!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another ball of flames exploded, this time between the two initiates, sending them careening in opposite directions. Jaune was grateful he'd gotten pretty good about bringing his Aura up, or the way his back slammed against that tree might've done a lot more than just hurt. It did hurt like hell, though. Looking over to his partner, he saw she wasn't doing much better than he was, face and hair glistening with sweat from the impromptu cardio workout this Grimm had given them. "Hey, Pyrrha!" He called out, the tall redhead giving him an affirmative nod in response. "Do you know which way north is? We should still try to get to the temple, we might be able to find help!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"This way!" Pyrrha announced after a moment, having checked her scroll. Jaune was just grateful she still had hers, as he had dropped his in the cave the Sphinx had been using as a lair. In hindsight, he probably shouldn't have been trying to use its flashlight function in a test that would involve Grimm in some capacity, but even then, dropping it to the ground because a massive winged cat was roaring at him was probably a pretty reasonable reaction. Seeing a moment where the path was clear, Jaune joined back up with Pyrrha, and the two continued their mad dash in the opposite direction of the Sphinx.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Pyrrha!" He called out to the redhead at his side, the brief glance in his direction all she could really do to show she was listening. "What can you tell me about this thing?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Not much, I'm afraid!" His partner replied apologetically. "Sphinxes tend to remain in frigid mountain regions of northern Anima and southern Solitas! I've never heard of one dwelling in any part of Sanus! I've never had the displeasure of fighting one, the Atlesian Military always made sure to keep them away from Argus!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So you have no idea what we could do? Me neither!" Jaune shouted, ducking beneath a large branch. This was really bad. Jaune knew today was going to be difficult, but he was expecting Beowolves, Ursas… maybe a Deathstalker if he was unlucky enough. He heard the crack of Pyrrha's rifle firing again, glancing at his partner as she somersaulted to dodge the snapping of the Sphinx's snake-headed tail. Oh hell no, he might not be the best in a fight, but he was not going to let his partner get hurt on his watch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sheathing his sword into the shield on his other hand, Jaune charged forward, putting himself between Pyrrha and the Sphinx. "Come on!" He insisted, glancing back at his surprised partner, "we can't stop now!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pyrrha nodded, taking off running; Jaune was quick to join her, and they soon entered a sizable clearing with a small creek running through it. "Jaune?" He turned to his partner, who had a severe look in her eyes. "I have an idea, but I need you to keep me guarded from it, can you do that?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Absolutely." He nodded, expression resolute as he turned to face the wooded area they'd just emerged from. He heard his partner's footsteps as she moved a few paces further away, just as the Sphinx cleared the trees, bringing several of them down in the process. Jaune gritted his teeth as he felt the surge of pain and vibrations that accompanied the large claws of the Grimm coming down on his shield. He wasn't sure how long he'd have to keep this up, but he'd do as much as possible to keep his partner safe. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jaune felt his footing start to give after the third strike, just as the first drops of rain started to reach his face. He'd have been surprised after how clear it had been earlier, but he was a bit busy dealing with a giant murder cat with wings. The fourth strike from the Sphinx brought his shield down, and the blonde shut his eyes, certain that he was about to meet his doom at the hands (teeth?) of the Grimm's fiery maw. Instead, a loud crack let out right by his ear, causing him to wince at the sudden loud noise. If not for his Aura's protection, he was positive he'd have gone deaf, at least temporarily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Looking briefly to his right, he found the barrel of Miló, fresh from firing. A loud, pained roar drew his attention, and he turned back to the Sphinx to find it writhing in pain, its left eye notably absent now. "Come on." Pyrrha grabbed his shoulder, pulling him away from the Grimm. "We need to keep going, that should delay it for a little while."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Right." Jaune agreed, joining his partner as they passed through the rest of the clearing and returned to the densely wooded forest. More rain was falling, occasionally making it through the canopy, and Jaune let out a sigh of relief. After all the running they'd been doing, he found the cool raindrops a welcome respite.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hopefully everyone else was fairing better than him and Pyrrha.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>"So, what kind of relics do you think there will be?" Blake asked, as she and her partner were nearing the temple, at least if Ruby's so-called "path" was to be believed. It was still a bit strange that her partner seemed certain that they were going the right way, but she'd given up trying to get a straight answer out of her after the third time the younger girl avoided answering the question. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not sure!" Ruby chirped in response, her voice rather cheerful for someone walking through a Grimm-infested forest. Blake wasn't sure to be impressed or suspicious with how well the younger teen was handling the mission, keeping remarkably calm despite traversing an area teeming with Grimm. Maybe it was because of her experience with the Caravans? They probably had to deal with Grimm a lot, so it wouldn't be surprising the girl wasn't as daunted by them. "I mean, I figure they aren't </span>
  <em>
    <span>literal</span>
  </em>
  <span> relics, so much as they're just trinkets being called relics. It wouldn't make sense to have a bunch of kids scrambling to grab actually valuable ancient relics."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, that's true." Blake chuckled, shrugging her shoulders a little, not that her partner would've seen. It was admittedly a little disappointing they'd not encountered Grimm yet, if only because she wanted to get a better read on the girl. She talked a big game the night before, about wanting to be a hero, but did she have the chops for it? "How much longer do you think?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Shouldn't be too much longer." A faint rumbling was heard above, and the short redhead stopped, looking upward. For a moment, Blake could've sworn she'd seen a strange shimmer to her eyes, but it must've been a trick of the light, as it was absent after a quick blink. Joining her partner looking up, Blake frowned at the now overcast sky. "Huh," Ruby commented, lips pursed in curiosity. "I didn't think it was going to rain."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blake shrugged, not having really considered it either. Silence reigned, as she didn't respond to Ruby, who gave a pout and shrug before continuing down her "path." Much to the Faunus' surprise, the redhead's predication paid off, and they soon entered a clearing with a long abandoned structure she assumed might've been a temple at some time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oooo!" Ruby sounded quite excited, rushing forward in a burst of rose petals, while Blake hung back a little, hearing the faint sound of foot falls approaching in the distance. Another pair of partners, no doubt. Walking into the remains of a stone rotunda, Blake had to stop abruptly as her partner rematerialized in front of her, a wide grin on Ruby's face as she held up a large golden knight. "Look, Blake! A cute little horsey!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's a knight, technically." The Faunus rolled her eyes at her partner's wide-eyed pout, holding back on chuckling despite the smile she knew she was growing on her face. She looked around the rotunda, several pedestals circling it, repurposed to hold the "relics" the initiates were seeking out. "Looks as though we aren't the first pair to pass through."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Heh, yeah." Ruby chuckled sheepishly, scratching at the back of her head as she gave a cursory look around again. "Most of the black pieces are gone, but there's still a lot of gold ones! At least we weren't the last people here?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mhmm." Blake didn't reward her partner with a complicated response, her focus more on the nearing sound of other initiates. "Do you want to go? We have a long way to get to the cliffs."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I, um," Ruby's head ducked between her shoulders as she awkwardly tapped her index fingers together. "Do you mind if we wait? I wanna see if Yang has gotten her piece, yet."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ah, that made sense. For all that she was being held their equal, she was still younger than the rest of them, so she probably wanted to try remaining on a team with her sister. "Sure." Blake relented, not really minding being on the same team with the boisterous blonde.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Speaking of the golden-haired brawler, who else should appear, frustration clear on her face, stalking just behind Weiss Schnee. Maybe being on a different team than Yang wouldn't be such a bad idea. "There, are you happy?" The Schnee heiress snapped at Ruby's sister, who didn't look at all pleased with the Atlesian. "Here we are, the temple."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We'd have gotten here a lot sooner if you'd just listened to me." Yang grumbled under her breath, probably not audible to the Schnee girl, though Blake's improved hearing managed to pick it up. Looking at who else was here, her expression lightened, and she charged forward, giving her sister the most uncomfortable looking hug Blake had ever seen. "Ruby! You made it okay!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Y-Yeah." The redhead whimpered, paling a little at the rather tight hug. Blake had to hold back a chuckle when Yang finally seemed to realize her sister wasn't reacting well to the hug, the blonde letting up her grip suddenly and sending the Faunus' partner crumpling to the ground. Were it not for Ruby's Aura, it probably would've been more dire, but as it was, Blake simply found it endearing. Part of her wondered if she would've been like that, had she a younger sibling, but she immediately pushed the thought away as her mind drifted to her parents. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So!" Yang spook cheerfully as she helped her sister up, at least having the decency to look a little embarrassed by how constricting her hug had been. The blonde began looking around the remains of the temple, curiosity clear in her face. "How do you think this whole relic thing works?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'd guess it's done by matching pieces." Blake suggested, looking back at the remaining chess pieces. "If there were only one piece per color, I'd say they were matched with one to each color, but since there's pairs, I imagine that the teams are determined by which partnerships get the same pieces. Rook to rook, that sort of thing."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Is that so?" The Schnee heiress suddenly spoke up, Blake following her pointed stare at the golden knight in Ruby's hand, before she snatched up one of the two golden rooks remaining. "Very well then, at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>one</span>
  </em>
  <span> calamity can be avoided!" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey!" Yang snapped, Blake surprised at the sudden change to a red eye color as the brawler stalked over towards Weiss, arms barred as though she looked ready to sock the heiress across the rotunda. "I thought you agreed to try dropping your beef with my sister!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That doesn't mean I want to be on a team with her!" Weiss insisted, giving a loud huff. Blake frowned, noticing that her partner looked rather hurt by the insinuation, which only worsened as Weiss continued. "I would rather have Pyrrha on our team, with you and her, I'm sure our team would be unstoppable no matter who her partner is."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yang was quick to contest her partner on this, obviously enraged at the slight from the heiress. Just before it came to blows, Ruby was quick to put herself between the two, while Blake watched on cautiously. "Yang, please." The Faunus could admit she hated the pained tone the younger girl took, it was as close to "heartbreaking" as she had heard someone sound in a long time. "It's not worth it." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're worth it." Yang insisted, but she lowered her fists at the slight shaking of Ruby's head. "Fine. I'll drop this, but you're on a thin line, Schnee."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Weiss huffed, about to retort, when the sound of an Ursa's roar drew their attention. Of all the things she'd see today, Blake really hadn't expected to see someone actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>riding</span>
  </em>
  <span> and Ursa like some sort of domesticated animal, though it was clearly not. The hulking Grimm finally gave out from the chokehold the short redhead (she was even shorter than Ruby, much to the Faunus' surprise) had it in, a final groan escaping the beast's maw before it collapsed to the ground, the telltale signs of a Grimm's demise following as it began to dissolve. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Aww! It's broken!" The girl who had been riding the Ursa lamented, looking rather heartbroken at her fallen mount. As a boy with Mistralan features exited the treeline, looking absolutely exhausted, the redhead smiled brightly. Leaning forward slightly, her hammer in both arms lazily swinging back and forth just in front of her, the girl seemed to be radiating a happiness that was almost blinding. "Ren! That was so much fun, you should join me next time!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Nora…" The boy now identified as Ren groaned, pausing a moment to catch his breath. "Please don't do that ever again." Unfortunately, Blake doubted his friend would listen, the redheaded girl, Nora, having disappeared from view as her partner was catching his breath. He looked around frantically, something Blake joined him in, not having realized how quick that girl could be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ooooh." The faint sound of her wonder drew Blake's attention to her, Nora's eyes glistening as she looked at one of the golden relics, the rook opposite the one Weiss had been so eager to grab. Well, if the Schnee heiress was so insistent to not be on a team with Blake's partner, the Faunus felt it only appropriate she not get a chance to be on a team with her coveted Pyrrha Nikos. She made no move to stop the girl as she snatched it up and held it above her head triumphantly, grinning with giddy excitement. "I'm queen of the castle! I'm queen of the castle!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Nora!" Blake heard the beleaguered voice of Ren call out to the redhead, but she didn't really care about that. Her focus was solely on Weiss Schnee, and the expression of sheer terror on her face as she realized she was now on a team with the enigmatic duo that had just arrived. Blake could almost </span>
  <em>
    <span>see</span>
  </em>
  <span> the hours of dreaming about how great the Schnee heiress had planned for her team to be shattering in an instant, and it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>amazing</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Weiss could say something about her new predicament, two more people emerged from the trees surrounding the temple, and unlike Ren and Nora, they did not seem to be having a good time. Blake felt her ears shift beneath her bow as she heard a loud roaring in the distance, one unmistakably originating from some kind of Grimm, followed by a large explosion that everyone seemed to hear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Jaune!" The first of the two to escape the woods, the girl Weiss had been coveting so much, shouted out to the blonde boy following her. "Go get a relic, I'll try to slow it down some more!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"On it!" Jaune replied, running into the rotunda where the others had gathered. Blake readied Gambol Shroud for combat, just as the large Grimm emerged from the forest. Unlike she had expected, it did not run out of the trees, instead, it </span>
  <em>
    <span>flew.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had seen Sphinxes before, in her time with the White Fang, during a raid on a penal mine north of Mistral. This had to be the largest she had ever seen, though, and it had the scars to match a long lived Grimm, the left side of its mask damaged, along with a broken right horn. Along with the old wounds, a very obvious new wound was present, the Grimm's left eye absent, which explained why it was having so much trouble getting a clear hit on Pyrrha. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blake looked back to her partner, who was handing Jaune the other golden knight, and gave her a severe nod. This was going to be a bad fight, and one they likely wouldn't be able to win without good teamwork between all eight of them. </span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Ruby had been in a bit of a bad mood, with how Weiss was acting and how agitated it was leaving her sister. Thankfully, the arrival of Jaune and Pyrrha had allowed her to push those thoughts aside, and focus on the oncoming threat. The blonde had come to the rotunda they were lingering in, no doubt in search of a relic, and she was happy to provide one. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Here!" Ruby called out, drawing Jaune's attention as she placed the second golden knight in his hand. Seeing Blake acknowledge her action, before turning her attention to the large winged Grimm, Ruby returned the forceful nod with one of her own. Looking at the other gathered initiates, most of whom seemed dazed by the arrival of such a large Grimm, Ruby cleared her throat loudly. "Right! We need to go, right now! Blake, can you go help Pyrrha get out of there?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a silent nod, the Faunus departed, and Ruby turned her attention to Weiss, who looked none too pleased that the younger girl had taken charge of the situation. "Weiss, you're good with Dust, right? I mean I assume you are if you're the heiress of-" At the harsh glare she received from the Atlesian, Ruby chuckled sheepishly. "Right, anyways, you're good with Dust. Can you freeze its feet to the ground so we can make a break for it?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I… very well." Weiss didn't look very happy that Ruby had come up with the idea, but the redhead knew she couldn't deny the strategy, especially when they needed to properly regroup. With a huff, she departed, complaining all the while. "I was going to suggest the same thing!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yeah, right. She'd looked so completely baffled by the Grimm's appearance that Ruby wondered if her sister was going to have to pick her up and carry her away. "Right." Thinking of her sister, Ruby turned to Yang, before looking at the rest of the gathered teens, doing her best to keep in a strict mindset. Now wasn't the time for levity, they had a very big, very angry Grimm to deal with. "We need to get out of here and find somewhere with a bit more maneuverability. Anyone have any ideas of where to go?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I saw a large structure nearby, when I was first flying over the forest." Yang suggested, pointing east. "I kind of assumed it was the abandoned temple in question, but now I'm not so sure. It's pretty close by, though."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well then, let's get going!" Ruby insisted, as Pyrrha returned with Blake and Weiss, the loud roars of the Sphinx as it tried to escape its icy containment. Taking one last glance as she led the group east, Ruby could already see the ice trapping the Grimm's feet beginning to crack. Figuring there was no better time than the present, she called out to the group as they retreated to a better position. "So, can anyone tell me about that thing?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's a Sphinx." Yang noted, sounding a bit pensive. After a moment, she continued with a more resolute tone. "I think it's Symfora." As if noticing the confused look Ruby would've been giving had they not been running, her sister thankfully elaborated. "It's a bit of a boogeyman for Vale, one of the left over Grimm from Mistral's attempts to destabilize the Kingdom during the Great War. So it's really old, and really strong."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well that's not good." Ruby stated plainly, as the group of eight arrived at the larger set of ruins, a great, towering structure that was built in the heart of a large ravine. Crumbling stone bridges led to the central building, which was at least six stories tall despite the dilapidated state of the tower, not counting how deep it went into the ravine. "Come on, we should try to get to higher ground."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just as Ruby began to cross the ancient bridge to the tower, her partner following behind her with Jaune and Pyrrha, Weiss loudly huffed. "Now wait a minute!" The Atlesian snapped, "we should keep some people down here, just in case. At the very least, we can distract the Sphinx and allow you a better shot."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That… was actually a good idea. "Yeah, okay." Ruby agreed, looking at the two groups that had unintentionally formed. "You four keep it distracted, we'll get the higher ground and try to take that thing down."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a nod, the impromptu parties split, Ruby continuing down the bridge beside Blake, Jaune and Pyrrha a few paces behind. A loud roar signaled the return of the large Sphinx, Symfora, if Yang's guess was correct. Ruby tried not to focus on that right now, keeping her head solely on keeping her footing as she ascended the crumbling stairs that spiraled around in the interior of the building, keen on reaching the top as quick as she could. She could hear the sounds of Pyrrha's weapon firing, and briefly stopped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Jaune!" She called out to the blonde boy, who looked a bit indecisive about whether he should remain with Pyrrha or not. As soon as she had his attention, she continued. "You and Pyrrha stay down there, try to draw it low!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Low? Um, okay!" Jaune agreed, turning to his partner to say something quieter than Ruby could manage to hear, before he looked back up at her and gave a nervous thumbs up. "We're on it Ruby! Just do, uh, whatever you're planning to!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll take care of it!" Ruby replied confidently, giving an enthusiastic nod before continuing her ascent up the structure. It was an awkward climb, to say the least, though thankfully Blake seemed to have more luck getting up the stairs than she was having. Reaching the top, she let out a relieved sigh, which earned a chuckle from her partner.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What will you need me to do?" Blake asked, a brow raised as Ruby spent more than a couple seconds pouting at her for chuckling. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ruby would've continued, but the building shook suddenly, leading to both of them jumping in surprise. Ruby let out a startled squawk, finishing the little bit left in her ascent and looking over the ruins built into the ravine from the ruined pinnacle. It was beautiful, in a sorrowful sort of way. Within the large ravine, Ruby could make out many other structures that didn't manage to pierce their way above the surface, what might've once been a small city long since abandoned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Right, um." Ruby's eyes darted over to Blake, who had her weapon out and in pistol configuration. "That ribbon, you can like… throw and catch things, right? Specifically, uh… me shaped things?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You want me to catch you?" Blake's brow raised, the Faunus understandably curious about whatever Ruby was planning. For her part, the redhead only sheepishly nodded, a nervous chuckle escaping her lips. "Yeah, I should be able to."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Okay!" Ruby chirped cheerfully, deploying Intrepid Rose. She approached the edge of the tower just as the structure shook again from the Sphinx passing by. "Let's do this!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Wait, what are you-" Ruby didn't let her partner finish, letting herself fall backwards off the structure, her trusty high-caliber pistol-sword in hand as she descended. Nearing the Sphinx as it passed once more, fire exploded from the barrel of Intrepid Rose as she was sent spiraling forward from the recoil. Wrapping her free arm around the slender snake-headed tail of the Sphinx, Ruby let out a sigh of relief before stabbing her pistol-sword into the Grimm's back, just behind one of the spikes of bone marking its spine. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Grimm let out a loud roar, before it spun in the air, trying to shake Ruby free. The redhead squeaked nervously, tightening her grip in her weapon as she dangled from the Grimm. Thankfully, it had righted itself before she couldn't hold on any longer, the redhead letting out a sigh of relief as she removed Intrepid Rose and trying to cut at the Grimm again. While she could dig in a little, there just wasn't enough she could do to really deal a fatal blow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Gyah!" Ruby had to stagger to the side, clinging onto one of the spikes on bone poking out of the back of the Grimm's hip as she dodged a snap from the tail. Darn it, this was really hard to handle. Scrambling upwards again, she brought Intrepid Rose upwards, her free hand bracing its barrel as she blocked another strike from the snake head. Biting her lip, she pulled her weapon's trigger, accelerating the strike's moment with the recoil, shattering the tail's fangs. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the Sphinx roared once more, Ruby shifted closer to the tail, wrapping her legs tightly around it to stay still as she began to channel her Will, rain drops again picking up, now coming down faster. Bringing down Intrepid Rose for another strike, she brought as much of her Will into it, and the sky rumbled.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Yang was more than a little displeased that they had split up from Ruby, which was only made worse by Weiss' general attitude. She wanted to be there to keep her sister safe, not down on the ground sending potshots from Ember Celica. Especially not in a fight against Symfora, for that legendary Sphinx was the only one this Grimm could be, a bane for many an unfortunate Huntsmen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unfortunately, more and more lesser Grimm had been coming along, drawn by the powerful alpha, and she was unable to focus more on her sister. With a shout, she unloaded a round of Ember Celica into the face of an oncoming Beowolf, sending its corpse barrelling into another while she charged forward, relying on the boost from firing her shotgun-gauntlets to circumvent the muddy ground as the rain picked up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Come! And! Get! It!" Yang shouted, letting loose a volley of buckshot into the approaching horde of Grimm, which didn't seem to be ending anytime soon. Just how many had Symfora drawn out of the surrounding forest? She felt the hairs on her neck start to rise, along with the familiar smell of ozone as the sky started to rumble, and she jumped a few feet back, turning to look for her sister, who she knew was going for higher ground.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instead of finding her wisely seeking shelter from potential lightning strikes, Yang nearly had a heart attack when she saw Ruby, legs wrapped around the serpent-headed tail of the ancient Sphinx, holding her weapon up in the air despite the danger. She wanted to call out to her, but the claws of an Ursa sent the brawler staggering back, and she turned her focus back to the Grimm around her, snarling as her eyes turned crimson.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Weiss was panting heavily as she turned the chamber of Myrtenaster once more, returning it to the little remaining ice Dust remaining in its vial. She silently cursed herself for not bringing along back up Dust, but did not dwell on it, </span>
  <em>
    <span>could not</span>
  </em>
  <span> dwell on it. Things were looking admittedly more dire than she would like, but she refused to be daunted by the oncoming Grimm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was Weiss Schnee, heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, and she would not be slain by some common Grimm in the middle of Vale, for Dust's sake! She would not let her life be in vain, not when she had goals beyond simply taking over the company from her father, goals she could not accomplish if she was dead! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Channeling her Aura into her beloved rapier, Weiss narrowed her eyes as she activated the remaining Ice Dust, stabbing Myrtenaster into the ground and sending a wall of frozen spikes upwards. Not only would that take care of some of the oncoming horde, it would also serve to direct the battle more by cutting off a point of access. Switching the chamber once more, Weiss stopped on Hard-Light Dust, sending out a volley of condensed light. "Cool magic missiles!" Weiss rolled her eyes at the comment made by the hammer-wielding redhead, instead lunging forwards to impale the neck of a Beowolf creeping up behind the girl. "Thanks!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Whatever." Weiss replied with a huff, nose crinkling at the smell of ozone in the air. The rumbling in the sky that accompanied the continuously increasing volume of air boded ill, but she would not let it get to her. She had a goal, and that was keeping herself (and everyone else) alive. Unfortunately, the effects of Fire Dust would be greatly reduced by the current weather, so she was forced to rely on more of her Hard-Light Dust. It would not be a great worry, aside from the scarcity of the valuable Dust her homeland was renowned for. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Switching the chamber once more, she landed on Wind Dust, and unleashed a powerful gust of air that staggered much of the oncoming horde. With that powerful gale, Weiss found it an opportune time to retreat backwards and assess the situation from further away. It wasn't looking great, but she would not allow herself to give into despair. She only hoped that the dolt who had gone for high ground would be able to do something about that Sphinx, before it drew more Grimm than they could handle.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Ren was reluctant to separate from Nora, especially now, but he knew that in the face of such odds, he could not allow himself to be distracted by her. He had confidence that his closest friend could handle herself, even with such overwhelming numbers. They had both trained, before and after they were taken in by the Church of Light, Nora was strong enough to handle herself, he had to be strong for himself at the moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Channeling his Aura into his legs, he worked mostly through quick, precise movements, striking at weak spots in the armor of Beowolves and Ursae. He didn't have as much luck as Nora or their new comrade Yang might have when it came to single strike kills, but he was able to at least disable the Grimm so that the risk they posed for the others was limited. He tapped into the earliest hints of his semblance to help mask his presence while he attacked, as he knew he wasn't as sturdy as Nora when it came to taking strong blows. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dropping to a crouch, Ren sprung up into the air, letting free a volley from StormFlower, the lower caliber of the guns not managing to pierce Grimm hide and bone easily, but finding purchase in the gaps between bone plate and unprotected eyes. Landing, her somersaulted forward, firing more as he rolled beneath a rather sizable Ursa, releasing the rest of the magazines in his pistols. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As he spun to the left, dodging the beast's claws as it attempted a retaliation, Ren recognized the familiar scent of ozone, and realized that the weather was turning even worse. It didn't matter at the moment, as the concern of Grimm was far more important than the severity of the rain, but the Mistralan boy did find himself wishing he'd had the foresight to bring a hood to wear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bringing each of his blades down in a flash, he severed the arms of the Ursa, before leaping back to avoid its desperate attempts to snap at him with its mouth. Raising StormFlower, Ren stabbed the blade on the underside of his right pistol upwards, forcing the Ursa's mouth shut, before he beheaded it with an Aura-charged strike. Retrieving the other half of his weapon, he frowned slightly as he reloaded. This would have to end soon, none of them could withstand a battle of attrition. </span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Nora felt powerful. Things weren’t their brightest, sure, but she didn’t mind, because that just meant it was her time to shine! Heh, shine. Get it? Bringing down Magnhild with a cheerful grin, it was like the ground shook as hammer met the ground, a cloud of dust exploding into the air. With several Beowolves stunned, Nora made short work of them, battering them with Magnhild until they began to dissolve into dust. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unlike most weapons, her trusty MGL-Hammer wasn’t good for cutting Grimm to bits, but that just meant she had to put a bit more effort into it. If there was one thing Nora was good at, it was putting in the effort when it mattered most. Spinning in a circle, she built up momentum before slamming her hammer into the stomach of an Ursa, launching it backwards and impaling a Beowolf with its back spikes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She could feel the energy around them as the rain came down harder, taste it in the air. It reminded her of that day, five years ago, when she’d discovered her semblance. Looking at Weiss, she grinned wickedly. “Hey, Weissy!” Uh oh, she didn’t look too happy being called that. Oh well. “Do you have any Lightning Dust?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lightning Dust?” Nora gave an affirmative nod, which didn’t seem to make Weiss any calmer. Maybe it was the grin or the enthusiasm. “What do you need me to do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Strike me with it!” Weiss definitely looked a bit confused by that, but she gave a shrug and acquiesced. Nora gritted her teeth as electricity coursed through her, eyes wide as she ignored the discomfort that accompanied the absorption. Her semblance might allow her to absorb electricity, but it didn’t dampen the pain entirely. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leaping forward, Nora could feel the energy surging around her as sparks danced across her skin. Weiss was looking on in fascination as the redhead brought Magnhild down into the midst of the horde of Grimm approaching. The ground shook as Nora pushed herself to her limit, and she continued to just grin. </span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Jaune didn't look too certain what he could do to help Pyrrha against the Sphinx as it circled the ancient tower, the tall redhead giving him a reassuring smile before she took a few crackshots at the ancient Grimm. "Keep your shield up." She reminded him, finding the embarrassed blush on his face a little endearing. "Just stand between me and it, like we did earlier. Your shield seems to be made of sturdy stuff, it can withstand any fire sent our way."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She saw the blonde boy give a nervous nod, planting his feet as firmly as he could near Pyrrha, ready to circumvent any attempts to disrupt her. She gave a grateful nod, raising Miló in its rifle configuration as she took a few shots at the Sphinx before it passed overhead. She wasn't sure entirely what Ruby intended to accomplish by getting the higher ground, but she had faith that the younger girl knew what she was doing. There was no time for hoping that things would go well, she could only focus on the current comment, and doing her part to fight the Sphinx. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A fireball sent their way by the Grimm exploded against Jaune's shield, Pyrrha feeling the heat test the fringes of her Aura, not severe enough to drain her, but definitely noticeable. Luckily, it was somewhat diminished as the weather began to pick up, cool rain relieving the duo from some of the heat. Taking a few more well aimed shots at the Sphinx's mask, near where she'd half blinded it earlier, Pyrrha felt the walkway beneath them shake as the Grimm flew closer to the tower, causing the entire structure to visibly shake. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, that hadn't gone exactly as planned, it seemed she'd just made it angrier. That might at least aid Ruby in whatever task she was attempting, whenever she got to the top of the tower. Oh, there she was, along with Blake. As the Sphinx passed over again, Pyrrha turned her attention more closely to the shorter redhead, curious what she was going to do. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She inhaled sharply as she saw the girl drop from the top of the tower, barely choking back a startled cry just as a loud gunshot echoed in the ravine (what caliber of pistol </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> that?), lurching Ruby in another direction. To Pyrrha's surprise, she managed to land atop the Sphinx, and even more impressively, stay on it, even as it attempted to drop her by rolling in the air and dangling her upside down for a few seconds. She wasn't sure what she could do that wouldn't interfere with the cloaked girl's plans, so she simply collapsed Miló, and readied herself for what might happen next.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Everything seemed to slow as Ruby pushed everything into this one strike. It wasn't enough to simply power through the Grimm's hide, she had to do so in a way that looked convincingly like she hadn't been using her Will. She reached into the ambient energies of the world around her, into the overcast skies now drenching the forest in rain. For the briefest second, sparks of electricity danced across her skin before lightning exploded when her blade met the Sphinx's tail. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To the rest of the initiates, it would appear as though Ruby's weapon had been struck by lightning just as she was striking the Grimm, and in truth, that was sort of true. She had shaped her Will so that instead of just a concentrated strike, the lightning she created reached into the sky in a sort of reverse bolt, hopefully the difference wasn't one they would pick up on. It had drained the rest of her Aura, and she felt her right hand seize up as the electricity ran into it. Next time, she'd be sure to wear some rubber gloves or something. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The vise-grip she had with her legs on the tail was lost as most of it fell into the abyss of the ravine below, and she was shortly following, as the Sphinx took a pained nosedive and Ruby lost any hold she had on it. Looking into the darkness littered with the vague approximations of buildings below was a disorienting experience, and she shut her eyes, doing all she could to tell herself that Blake would manage to catch her as planned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without Aura to protect her at all, she felt the air leave her lungs as something tightly wrapped around her waist and she was suddenly pulled upwards. Ruby opened her eyes as she came to an abrupt stop, finding herself back on the tower, which was looking far more precarious than it had been. Apparently, in its unplanned descent, the Sphinx had struck the tower's base, and the entire structure was now risking coming down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, are you okay?" Silver eyes blinked blearily, Ruby looking up at Blake, who still had a hold on her. After a moment, she nodded, but the secret Faunus looked more than a little skeptical at her affirmation. "I'll get us down, just get on my back."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Okay." Ruby reluctantly agreed, wrapping her arms around Blake's neck and hanging from her neck, the Faunus' arms hooped around her legs to hold her up properly. The descent down the tower was quick, mostly because Blake didn't seem to mind jumping, her still available Aura plenty enough to support the two of them landing. Seeing Jaune and Pyrrha looking rather concerned, Ruby gave a sheepish wave from her place on her partner's back. "Hey guys…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ruby!" Jaune sounded rather worried, which honestly shouldn't have been as much of a surprise as she'd taken it. He was her friend, of course he was worried! Having friends outside of the Caravan was such a weird thing to get used to. "Are you okay? What was that? Do you need me to take over carrying you so she can take a break?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ruby chuckled at the flood of questions, but Blake was quicker to answer, happy to hand over the younger girl. "Thanks." The brunette said quietly, before looking to Pyrrha, who Ruby noticed had a slight, though worried, frown. "We didn't get a proper introduction, but you can call me Blake." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's good to meet you, Blake." Pyrrha replied calmly as Jaune helped Ruby onto his back, the shorter redhead letting out a tired sigh. Looking a bit worried, Pyrrha turned her attention to the others who weren't on the bridge. "We should see what we can do to assist our comrades. We can exchange proper pleasantries later."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blake and Pyrrha exchanged a silent nod, beginning the trek across the ancient walkway, Jaune following behind with Ruby on his back, doing her best to observe the battlefield despite her inability to assist at the moment. Things weren't look too great, if she was completely honest. Even with the cooling rain that had drenched them all, it was clear that all of the initiates were running on fumes, save maybe Yang and Nora. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The initiates were gathered in the clearing on the side of the ravine they'd started at, none looking particularly sure what to do with the Grimm at least temporarily dispersed. There was a general look of awe on their faces as Ruby arrived with Jaune, and she suddenly found herself feeling particularly embarrassed. "I, um, how is everyone? It looks like there was quite that battle here." That was definitely true; spikes of ice were still slowly melting from where they shot out of the ground, and the dirt was visibly displaced in several positions where it looked as though it had been trampled by a goliath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's an understatement." Yang finally said, snapping the group out of their daze. "That was quite the lightshow, sis. You okay?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Huh? Y-Yeah." Ruby was quick to add, ducking her head slightly inwards. "It was just luck, and it took out my Aura, so I'm probably going to be spent for a while."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well that's not good." Weiss spoke up with a huff, "but if that lug is the one carrying you, I suppose it won't matter."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How long of a walk do you think it'll be?" Ruby asked, frowning at the tone the Atlesian girl had taken. "I should be able to walk soon, just gotta get a bit more Aura back."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sure it won't be too long." Pyrrha reassured, offering the younger girl a gentle smile. Strangely enough, </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> earned a scowl from Weiss, who huffed off indignantly. "Oh dear, I do hope she'll be okay."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sure she'll be fine." Yang waved a hand dismissively. "If she wants to get in a huff about not getting the partner she wanted, that's fine with me. I didn't exactly want her, either, she just looked like she could use a hand."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't worry, Pyrrha," Jaune spoke up, shifting awkwardly from below Ruby with a nervous smile. "I'm glad to be your partner, you were really cool!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pyrrha let out a timid chuckle, covering her mouth with a hand as she tried not to react very broadly. "Thank you, Jaune. You were really cool, too." She insisted, her cheeks a light pink for some reason. Ruby's brow furrowed as she tried to figure out why, but she eventually dismissed it as Pyrrha simply not being any better at taking compliments than she was. "Oh well, I think Weiss is right in that we should head back, if we're lucky, they'll have a lift for us at the cliffside."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Let's hope so," Yang chuckled, looking at Ruby and Jaune. "I don't think Vomit Boy can handle carrying my sister all the way up the cliffs if we have to scale them by hand."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jaune pouted at the nickname, but Ruby was quick to offer a sympathetic pat on his shoulder with her left hand. "Don't worry, Jaune, I'm sure I'll be able to walk by the time we get there."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blonde boy sighed, not seeming very reassured, but he didn't move to put her down. Not wanting to see if Yang could tease him more, Jaune chose to agree with Pyrrha's earlier comment. "Let's get going. We've got a long way to go."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Getting to the cliffside was a chore, but at least they hadn't run into more Grimm. Well, maybe it was unfair for </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> to call it a chore, Ruby had fallen asleep at some point during the nearly hour long trek, much to her embarrassment. The group had been worried they'd have to scale the cliffs by hand, but there was luckily actually a bullhead awaiting their arrival.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fact that the headmaster of the academy they were all applying to was on that bullhead? Maybe a little intimidating, but he seemed good humored enough about it. "It's good to see you all, students." He greeted, his tone a hint of mirth with his calm cheerfulness. "I do apologize for making you take a walk the whole way back. We were hoping to provide assistance earlier against the ancient Grimm you awoke, but the weather prevented a bullhead flight of any distance."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's, um, it's fine, sir!" Weiss squeaked out, clearly embarrassed to have assistance from the headmaster. Ruby had to hold off a chuckle at how the Atlesian shifted nervously as they boarded the aircraft. "This won't affect our grade, will it, sir?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm afraid all initiation scores and rankings are kept strictly confidential, Miss Schnee." Professor Ozpin replied, a hint of mirth in his voice that Weiss seemed to completely miss. Ruby figured they weren't really doing a grading system for the initiation, since the whole goal was just getting the relic. "Now then, if you're all ready, we should get going. You are the last group to return from getting your relics, for rather understandable reasons." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a chorus of nervous chuckles from most of them, though Weiss looked positively mortified. If she hadn't been such a jerk earlier, Ruby would've felt bad for her. Okay, maybe she felt a </span>
  <em>
    <span>little</span>
  </em>
  <span> bad for her either way, but she certainly hadn't endeared herself to the redhead. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Once we return to the academy, we'll head to the auditorium so that teams can be assigned." The headmaster explained as the bullhead's engines started, everyone who hadn't been properly seated quick to get on one of the benches. Yang sat beside Ruby, who was sitting beside Jaune and Pyrrha, while Blake had distanced herself from the group, looking outside the window with a frown. Ren and Nora had planted themselves by Weiss, the excitable redhead trying to cheer up the Atlesian. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The flight was, unsurprisingly, not very long, and soon enough they found themselves at the same docks they'd arrived at a day ago. After a brisk walk to the auditorium near the CCT tower at the center of the academy, Ozpin gave a farewell nod to the initiates before leaving for the back entrance. The eight of them filed awkwardly into the large structure, which was now filled to the brim with students as well as the initiates. A brief horror that her use of Will might've been recorded was dismissed as Ruby reassured herself that she had shaped it in such a way it wouldn't be suspected. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Cheer up." Yang said, shooting Ruby a confident grin as she ruffled the younger girl's hair. "I'm sure things will be fine."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That wasn't really what she'd been worried about, but it was nice to know that her sister cared. Ruby gave Yang a timid smile, who seemed satisfied enough to turn her attention to the stage. Professor Goodwitch was waiting on the stage, looking rather frustrated by the headmaster's tardiness. Professor Ozpin stepped on stage, having the decency to look a bit sheepish at the withering glare his deputy gave him, before stepping into the center and tapping the microphone to gather the attention of everyone present.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Of sixty potential students who came to initiation today, thirty-six of you gathered relics from the abandoned temple in the Emerald Forest." He spoke calmly, Ruby's eyes widening in surprise. That many people had been hopeful, and so many hadn't made it? "Seven of you withheld from entering the forest, and another seventeen required evacuation before they could attempt to obtain relics."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Now then, for those who were able to acquire relics." The headmaster clicked something on his scroll, and a transparent screen displayed above him flickered on, a dull blank white, save the emblem of the Kingdom of Vale in the bottom left corner. "You will now be ordered into teams by the relics you've selected. I will call your names depending on when you returned to the academy, please come up when you hear your name."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ruby tuned out much of the callouts, focusing on herself as she tried to accelerate the replenishing of her Aura as much as she could, her head rested against her sister's shoulder. The assignments came back into focus for her as Yang shifted up, preparing to stand. "Hey, sis, looks like they'll be calling us up shortly."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh." She grumbled, blinking weary eyes and looking back at the stage. The screen displayed four portraits of the teens on stage with the headmaster currently. Beneath each of the pictures, a letter, spelling out C R D L. Their team's name, most likely. None of them looked particularly spectacular, the only one standing out being the "C" who stood about a head taller than his comrades, with a far broader frame. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Professor Ozpin stepped up to the microphone again, looking up towards where the eight of them were seated, before quietly clearing his throat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Lie Ren. Nora Valkyrie. Yang Xiao Long. Weiss Schnee. If you could please come to the stage." Yang stood up, leaving a somewhat disappointed Ruby, though she was started to feel her energy come back, at least a little. The thought of dinner was a nice one, though. As the four stood on stage, Professor Ozpin looked to assess them for a moment. "The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces; from this day forward, you will work together as Team Sylvan." Below their four portraits, ordered Weiss, Yang, Ren, and Nora, the letters "SYLN" appeared. "Led by Weiss Schnee. Congratulations, young lady."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A visible wave of relief overtook Weiss for a brief moment, before she composed herself and gave a polite curtsy towards the headmaster. Yang looked… less than pleased, from what Ruby could tell. Nora just gave Ren a hug, before dragging their other two team members into it, much to the new leader of Team SYLN's dismay. Professor Ozpin chuckled, before the newly formed team began to leave the stage, at which point, the four remaining unassigned stood up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I guess we're all that's left." Ruby shot a nervous smile to Jaune, who returned one of his own with a sheepish shrug. Looking at her other two teammates, Ruby did her best to give encouraging smiles to the two of them. As they made their way to the stage, Ruby couldn't help but wonder who would be chosen leader. Blake, maybe? Or Pyrrha! Pyrrha could be cool. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Jaune Arc. Ruby Rose. Pyrrha Nikos. Blake Belladonna." Professor Ozpin looked to see them standing at the stares to the stage, Ruby giving a timid little wave as he spotted them. "I see you've already made your way to the stage."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah, y-yeah." Ruby chuckled, scratching at the back of her neck as a few people in the audience were heard snickering. "We figured, since we were the last ones, we already knew we'd be needed up here."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Indeed." Professor Ozpin had a hint of mirth to his tone, before clearing his throat, portraits for each of their unnamed team appearing on screen. Huh, that was weird. Ruby's portrait was first, that was where the leader of the other teams had been. "The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team Rainbow." The letters "R A N B" appeared below the portraits, and Ruby got a sinking feeling in her stomach. "Led by… Ruby Rose."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Led by?" She managed to squeak out, before Jaune gave her an encouraging pat on the shoulder, followed by an approving smile from Pyrrha and a look of indifference (and maybe a hint of relief) from Blake. She really wasn't ready for anything like leadership! Sure, she'd come up with the hairbrained scheme to take down the Sphinx, but aside from a rescue by Blake, that relied solely on her, not on teammates! "Oh…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It certainly looks like things are shaping up to be an interesting year." She heard Professor Ozpin say quietly, though he was looking off towards Glynda as he spoke. The deputy headmistress didn't look particularly happy, but she couldn't do anything to change what'd happened any more than Ruby. "With that, students, you are all dismissed. Classes start tomorrow, so I'd advise you all use the rest of the evening to unpack, after getting some dinner, of course."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Dinner had been a quick, somewhat disorganized affair. With everyone rushing the cafeteria at once, the lines for food were much longer, and Ruby found herself quite thankful that Yang had volunteered to bring her food, as the crowd was rather daunting. Jaune was going to make an attempt, but the rather tall student leading the team starting with "C" had knocked him to the ground rather unceremoniously. Cardin, as Yang had identified the boy, was a bit of a jerk, but he wouldn't risk messing with her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After dinner, the two teams departed for their dorms, which as it turned out, were right across from each other! While the others filed into the rooms, Yang and Ruby hung back a moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, um." Yang looked a bit nervous, not that Ruby really blamed her. It was still kind of hard, talking to each other with the familiarity they knew they should. "I just wanted to say goodnight and stuff, okay? I'm just across the hall if you need me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blonde let out a loud grunt as Ruby tightly wrapped her arms around her, hugging her sister as strong as she could. "Thanks, Yang." Ruby said softly, her cheeks a little warm with embarrassment. "I-I'll see you tomorrow, right?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah." Her big sister ruffled her hair playfully, smiling at Ruby. "I… I love you Ruby. I'm sorry I didn't have the chance to say it for so long."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I love you, too." Ruby replied timidly, their embrace breaking. "Goodnight." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ruby was a little reluctant to leave her sister, and it looked as though the same could be said for Yang, but they had teams to get to, so they couldn't linger any longer. Stepping into her dorm, Ruby let out a loud sigh, which earned a few looks from her teammates. "S-Sorry, I'm just…" Ruby waved her hands up and down a bit to help emphasize what she meant, indicating, well, everything in the room. "This is a big change." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's okay." Pyrrha reassured, offering the younger redhead a gentle smile. It looked like everyone else was busy getting their things unpacked, which was doubtlessly a good thing, as they all seemed to have a lot more luggage than Ruby's pack, which she had brought with her during the initiation. "We were just taking care of our things. Will you need any help?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Huh, me? No!" Ruby shook her head as she pulled the backpack out from its place concealed by her cloak. "I don't have all that much with me, I should be fine. So, uh… Do we want to do, like… introductions? We can talk about our weapons, too!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That certainly sounds like a good idea." Pyrrha agreed warmly, taking a seat on one of the four beds that were taking up much of the room's space. They'd have to do something about that, Ruby was used to cramped quarters but this was just inefficient! "I can start, if no one minds." Ruby offered her a reassuring smile, and neither of the others spoke up. "Right, I'm Pyrrha Nikos, from Argus. My weapon is Miló, a triple-form javelin-xiphos-rifle, and my shield is named Akoúo̱. "Speak" and "listen" in old Northern Mistrali."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Um." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Er."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Silence reigned for a moment after Pyrrha spoke, no one sure exactly who to go next, before Jaune and Ruby spoke at the same time. The duo nervously chuckled, before Ruby cleared her throat. "Right, um, I'll go next." She insisted, head ducking in embarrassment. "Um, my name is Ruby Rose, y-you all knew that already! Sorry. Um, my weapon is Intrepid Rose, she's a high-caliber pistol-sword."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Um, I'll go now, I guess!" Jaune insisted, though there wasn't anyone disputing the suggestion. Chuckling nervously, he sat next to his partner, folding his hands in his lap. "Uh, my name is Jaune Arc, I'm from Domremy on the east coast. The weapon I'm using is the old family sword, Crocea Mors. It belonged to my great-grandfather who fought during the Great War. I know it's not much, kind of a hand me down, really, but it's what I've got."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You shouldn't speak so lowly of your weapon, Jaune." Pyrrha cautioned, frowning slightly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah!" Ruby was far more animated in admonishing the blonde's attitude, hands waving enthusiastically. "Crocea Mors is a really nice weapon! Sure, it's just a sword and shield with no really fancy transformations, but that just means it's a classic! It's an heirloom, and an impressive one."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Heh, if you're sure." Jaune chuckled sheepishly, his cheeks a light pink. Wow, it looked like no one on Ruby's team was able to take a nice compliment. "So, um, that's all on my end."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Silence took hold again for a little while, before Ruby shifted over towards Blake, who was sitting away from the group, her eyes widening as she gave a pleading pout. "Blake?" She said softly, drawing the secret Faunus' attention away from the book she'd been looking at. "Do you want to introduce yourself, and tell us about your weapon?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah. Sure." Blake agreed, reluctance heavy in her voice. The brunette shifted to look over to the others, before giving a sigh as she relented to Ruby's silent pleading, standing up and joining her partner on the bed beside Pyrrha and Jaune. "My name is Blake Belladonna. I'm from… outside the Kingdoms. I use a variant ballistic chain scythe with a cleaver-sheath called Gambol Shroud. I like books."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Is, um, is that all you'd like to say?" Ruby wasn't going to implore that she open up about the secret she'd unintentionally discovered, but it'd be nice if she would trust her teammates with it. They were going to be working together for a while, after all! Well, the withering amber glare said no, so Ruby declined suggesting further, squeaking sheepishly at the severity of her partner's eyes. "Um, I guess that's it. Let's all get unpacked and stuff… There's really a severe misuse of space in here, I'll try to figure something out so we have more room."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As everyone returned to their own things, Ruby held back a tired sigh. This was going to be a lot of work, wasn't it? Work she really hadn't prepared for. Sure, she'd done okay with just Jaune back at Domremy, but it was different in a combat situation than outside of one. Picking the bed on the left of the room nearest the wall, beside Pyrrha's, Ruby dropped her back and flopped onto the sheets.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Um, Ruby?" A silver eye peeked open to look into the taller redhead's emerald. "Do you want to change into pajamas?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh. Shoot. She'd… not really planned for that. She had talked a little to Yang about it, but… she still didn't feel too comfy wearing her nightgown in a room with three other people. "I, uh…" She couldn't </span>
  <em>
    <span>lie</span>
  </em>
  <span> to them about it, that'd be rude! "I only have a nightgown, and I don't really have the energy to change tonight."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmm, okay." Pyrrha sounded a little dubious, but shrugged, returning to her things. Hopefully that would satisfy her for the night. She'd have to ask Yang to share a spare pair or something. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hopefully things were going okay with Yang.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Things were not going okay with Yang. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Quite frankly, this was one of the most infuriating situations she'd ever been in, and she had the misfortune of agreeing to a single date with Cardin Winchester! Nothing could make a girl appreciate the finer sex more than dating someone so patheticly obsessed with his own masculinity and a personality that matched the underside of her boot when she'd had the bad luck to step in one of Zwei's "little presents." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She figured taking a couple minutes to say goodnight to her little sister wouldn't have been a big deal, and for any other team, that likely would've been the case. Unfortunately, as she stepped into her dorm and found herself face to face with an irate looking Weiss Schnee, Yang discovered that she'd probably been assigned what would be the most dysfunctional team in Beacon's long history.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Finally, you're here." Yeah, she was, Weiss. It's been maybe three minutes since any of them had a chance to step in their dorm, why was it such a time sensitive issue for Yang? "We need to have a team meeting, and then unpack."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, sure." Brothers, wasn't she a bit uptight. Yang plopped down on the end of one of the central beds, Ren on the other end, while his partner occupied the bed opposite them with enthusiastic jumping and cheering. At least someone was able to have fun despite Weiss' bullshit. "Let's go then, team meeting, right?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes. Of course." Weiss huffed, her expression soured as she noticed Yang's disinterested expression. Crossing her arms, the Atlesian stepped in front of the blonde, giving a severe frown that didn't phase Yang in the slightest. "We need to do proper introductions, and I want to know what your semblances are. Let's start with </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You want to know our semblances? Isn't that kind of personal?" Yang objected, but the Atlesian didn't back down. Sighing, Yang scowled at Weiss, folding her arms in front of her. "Fine, not like it's a big secret for me.  My name is Yang Xiao Long. My semblance? I call it </span>
  <em>
    <span>Burn</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and it lets be store the kinetic energy from blows against my Aura, then double it, and enhance my own strikes with the extra strength."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmm, that could be quite useful." Weiss noted cooly, before stepping over to Ren. She didn't look particularly pleasant talking to him, either, but Yang could tell she'd relaxed at least a little bit from when she was dealing with her. "If you don't mind?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course." Ren replied gently, bowing his head politely. "My name is Lie Ren, but please call me Ren. Nora and I hail from Goldwood, north of Vale. I call my semblance </span>
  <em>
    <span>Tranquility</span>
  </em>
  <span>; it allows me to dampen the emotions of myself or others, and conceal us from Grimm."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Now that sounds like it'd be incredible for missions defending civilians." Weiss noted, sounding fairly pleased in herself, for some reason Yang couldn't figure out. The blonde guessed that Weiss was probably going to be one of those people who take credit for other people's actions a lot. Ren, on the other hand, seemed fairly pleased with the assessment, for a reason Yang couldn't fathom at all. Surely other people had told him his semblance was nice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Now then…" Weiss stepped over to the other bed in the center of the room, where Nora was mid-bounce. "If you could </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span> take this seriously!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I am!" The energetic redhead exclaimed, doing a flip in the air before landing onto the bed, facing up towards the ceiling with a cheeky grin. Yang had to hold back a laugh at how little Nora took this seriously, and even Ren had a grin he was failing to hide. "I am the </span>
  <em>
    <span>incredible Nora Valkyrie</span>
  </em>
  <span>!!! My </span>
  <em>
    <span>High Voltage</span>
  </em>
  <span> semblance allows me to absorb electricity and channel that energy straight into my muscles! One zap and then… <strong>BOOM</strong>!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yang wasn't sure what was better, the loud cackling Nora let out after finishing, or the barely restrained screaming that was slipping from the corners of Weiss' lips. She had been worried about this team, and in all honesty, she probably still was pretty worried about their future, but it looked like things might at least be fun.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Ozpin looked over Beacon's campus from the windows of his office at the top of Vale's CCT tower, slowly nursing a mug of cocoa in his right hand. Initiation had gone well today, in his opinion. It was a little touch and go, especially when the elder Sphinx arrived, but the students had pulled through, and performed beyond his highest hopes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His left hand held his scroll, which was currently ringing. This was his seventh attempt to get in contact with Taiyang Xiao Long since the CCT relay in Patch had apparently gone down a day ago. It was troubling, but hardly the first time such things had happened. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sir?" Lowering the scroll to his side, he turned to look at Glynda, who had arrived moments ago, during his ruminations. "All the students are in their dorms. We should be ready for tomorrow."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm glad to hear that, Glynda." He replied, lowering his head in a slight nod. "Unfortunately, I've had no luck connecting with Patch, so things will have to continue as they did last year for now."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you sure he'll even accept your offer?" She sounded understandably skeptical, her arms folding in front of her chest. "He didn't last year. Or the year before that. And the year before that. And-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, Glynda, I'm well aware that Taiyang has been reluctant to leave Patch." Ozpin replied dryly, knowing his deputy was going on and on about it as a way to tease him. "This year is different, though. I'm sure he will reconsider his stance since Ruby is here."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You assume he'll be happy you recruited his missing daughter to join your academy." She retorted, a brow raised in doubt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I am… aware he may not entirely be happy with my decision," Ozpin cleared his throat, thinking back to when he was freshly headmaster of Beacon Academy and Team STRQ's notorious brawler had nearly demolished the entire combat arena after a particularly bad prank by his teammate, Raven. "However, it is not his decision to make, or my own. Ruby chose to accept my offer to join Beacon Academy, and I'm sure he will respect his daughter's choice."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If you're certain." Glynda replied dubiously, frowning. "If that's all, I'll be retiring for the evening. Some of us have classes to teach, after all."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, I suppose some of us do." Ozpin chuckled, giving a nod to his deputy before turning around and once again looking out at the academy's campus. "Goodnight, Glynda."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Goodnight, Oz."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. A First Day for (Not Quite) Everything</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The first day of proper classes has come to Beacon Academy, and Ruby does her best to follow along with a completely new sort of experience.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Apologies for the big delay, a lot of stuff has been going on that's taken me away from my writing, but I'm hoping that I'll be able to get everything back in momentum now. </p>
<p>Thank you for reading, I hope you'll enjoy the chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>“Theresa? Can you tell me a story?” Ruby was eight years old now, having spent three years raised by the elderly blind woman who led their Caravan. Currently, Theresa was overseeing Ruby as the young girl did her best to learn weaving, in particular so she could mend the cloak that was the only link to her past. How the sightless woman could actually sew without hurting her hands, Ruby hadn’t really figured out, but that didn’t matter. What did matter was if she would tell her a story. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Theresa had the best stories. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“A story?” The old woman questioned, brow raising as she looked at the young girl. “Do you think you can manage to keep concentration on your work while I speak? You wouldn’t want to poke your finger.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I can do it!” Ruby chirped insistently. She was good at doing multiple things at once. Sometimes. Okay, rarely, but she could totally listen to a story while she worked on tending to the crimson cloth she was mending. “Pretty please, Theresa?” Pouting like a sad puppy might not work on the old woman, but surely flattery would. “You tell the best stories in the whole camp.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Oh, very well. Just one.” Theresa chided, though she thankfully didn’t frown. That meant she wasn’t really annoyed about having to tell a story, so that was a relief. “What sort of story do you want to hear today, Sparrow?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Um, can you tell me another story about the founding of Vale?” Ruby’s favorite stories were the ones Theresa told about the great Hero who helped found the Kingdom of Vale some fourteen hundred years ago. She wasn’t sure how the old woman was able to do it, but she always seemed to make it sound like she had really seen what had happened. Well, not </span>
  </em>
  <span>seen</span>
  <em>
    <span> but that sort of idea. “You finished off with the first time he returned to Oakvale after he lost his family, I want to know what he does next!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Ah, yes. The story of Twinblade, the Bandit King.” Well that sounded interesting! Who knew that bandits could be kings? Not Ruby! Well, he probably wasn’t an </span>
  </em>
  <span>actual</span>
  <em>
    <span> king, but still! A Bandit King sounded like a cool foe for a great Hero! “The Hero of Oakvale arrived in his hometown which had been so viciously sacked by bandits some fifteen years before, but there was little time for respite.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Though sturdy walls now shielded much of the coastal town, there was still a great fear that bandits might return.” Theresa explained, Ruby’s eyes darting up to the woman before returning to her needlework. “A mighty bandit, the hero-turned-villain Twinblade, had set up a camp further up the coast, and the meager town guard feared that another raid was soon to come, one that they could not withstand.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You must understand, Sparrow, back then, there was no army, no union between people that kept the disparate villages of the land.” The old woman elaborated. It was a somewhat foreign concept, even now, the villages in the fringes of Vale’s outer borders had </span>
  </em>
  <span>some</span>
  <em>
    <span> protection that came with being in the Kingdom, and the CCT was at least somewhat usable, so there was no true disconnection. Even the Caravan, as much as they tried to be completely independent, had a few members with Scrolls. “There was a great fear that if bandits struck once more, there would be no hope for the town of Oakvale, and this time, there would be no survivors.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It was not the desire to save the town that motivated him, though.” Theresa revealed - a strange lilt to her voice that was very uncommon. Fondness, perhaps? “One of the few survivors of the raid many years ago revealed to him that the bandits may have had ties to the ones who killed the boy’s family, and it was his desire to see justice for his family that drove him.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“He didn’t just want to help?” Ruby was aghast, eyes wide in shock, stopping her work as she looked up to the woman. “But, he was a Hero!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Heroes are not always so clean cut, Sparrow.” Theresa cautioned, which earned a frown from Ruby. Heroes were supposed to always be good people, who came to save the day, no matter what! The thought of someone acting purely out of selfish motives, no matter who good a deed it might also be, it just really bothered her. "The Hero of Oakvale was still young, and unlike you, he didn't grow up so certain in his goals. The thought of facing a horde of bandits on his own for an undoubtedly meager sum wasn't an appealing one, but getting revenge for his family outweighed any concern he might've had."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"The Hero gathered his gear, readying himself for the most difficult mission he had come across yet, and that was just after escorting traders through a cursed forest." The blind woman continued, Ruby's lips pursed with frustration as she continued to work on her cloak. "Sword and bow at his side, he ventured up the coast by night, arriving at the bandit encampment just as the sun began to rise above the horizon. Waiting for the bandits silently, he crept between patrols at the gate, slaying one of the guards and taking his attire."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Disguised as one of them, the Hero entered the camp, and found a settlement just as developed as the village he had come from, hundreds of people going to and fro, even some children amongst them. Despite their unsavory methods, they too were simply just people seeking to survive in a dangerous world that did not favor us." Theresa explained, though if she noticed the puzzled look on Ruby's face at that, she didn't make any mention of it. "He didn't care though. Disguised as he was, he was able to slip through the camp without being forced to slay every bandit he came across."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Entering the bandit's inner sanctum, the Hero confronted the Bandit King. Twinblade offered him riches and power to stand by his side as he united the surrounding lands beneath his banner. Though he was but a bandit, his desire to be a king was true, as he sought to bring together the various peoples west of the Ruon mountains. The valleys served as a solidly defensible location from the Grimm, and the lands between Oakvale and Bowerstone would be ideal for development if the Greatwood was stripped for resources to build."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"There was a validity to the plans of the Bandit King, but the Hero knew that if he allowed him to follow through with his plans, many more would suffer as he had in his childhood, and any part that might be swayed by the bandit's promises was steeled against them. Challenging the Bandit King to single combat, the Hero clashed with the hero-turned-villain, one greatblade against two lesser."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"For an hour and another, the two fought, as the bandits of the camp watched on in awe. Never before had someone shown the strength to stand against their leader, but still the Hero fought on. As great as Twinblade's determination to bring a new civilization to the land was, the Hero of Oakvale's desire to avenge his father and mother and sister, to prevent anyone else from knowing the pain of their family being butchered, burned brighter still."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"The Hero brought his blade down in a mighty strike, channeling all his Aura forward as he did, shaping his Will upon reality. With a clap of thunder, Twinblade's swords shattered, and the Bandit King fell low, the Hero standing over him. Again, the once-hero pleaded that he be able to unite the separate villages and clans into a single people, and the Hero shut his eyes and listened. For a moment, none knew what would happen, before the Hero of Oakvale struck one last time, and the Bandit King's head fell from his neck."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"The Hero prepared his sword, sure that the gathered bandits would try to attack, but much to his surprise, they respected the duel between him and their leader. None would raise a weapon to strike him, and instead, the woman who had been aiding Twinblade approached from his tent, and…" If Ruby didn't know better, that was a mischievous smile on Theresa's face, but that couldn't possibly be the case. Theresa was far too serious to smile. "I think that's where we'll end for the day, Sparrow."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Aww." Ruby groaned loudly in defeat, "We were just getting to an interesting spot - not that him fighting wasn't interesting, I just wanted to know who the mysterious woman is!"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"That will be a story for another time," Theresa replied, "now, tell me what you think the lesson of the story was, Sparrow."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"I, um…" Ruby's head ducked down slightly, her cheeks warming in embarrassment. "I don't know. He went to fight the Bandit King, but did it for himself as well as to protect the people of his hometown."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Sometimes, we can do great, awful things with the best intentions. Twinblade was a wicked bandit, but his goals were not simply conquering for the sack of conquering. He sought to bring together the disparate peoples to found a Kingdom." Theresa said, sounding rather familiar with the plans of the Bandit King. "He knew that divided, the people west of the Ruon would not be able to last forever against the ceaseless tenacity of a foe that knew not physical ailments or emotion." </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"The Grimm?" Ruby asked quietly, which earned a nod from her caretaker. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Correct. As I said, Twinblade was not always a villain. He had seen the horrors that Grimm could cause, and was determined to unite the people into a single Kingdom that they might stand strong against the creatures of Grimm. And though he died, that did happen, didn't it?"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Yeah, it did… Vale." Ruby realized, looking a bit confused at the implication. "He wanted to make Vale?"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"He may not have seen that as its name, but the Hero of Oakvale did. And though he disagreed with the man's methods, he took on the goal of uniting the divided people into a single kingdom. Though Bowerstone would be its heart, the Kingdom took on the name of Vale, to honor the hero that had served the Grey family so well. Of course, now the city of Vale is so large, both Oakvale and Bowerstone are simply antiquated names for different parts of the city."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"So, um… is the lesson that… sometimes, people will do awful things with good intentions?" Ruby asked nervously, hoping she'd gotten it right.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"And that sometimes, people with selfish intentions will do good things. Even you, one day, Sparrow, will find yourself in the position where you might do something truly awful with the best intentions, or something great while only thinking of yourself."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"But I don't want to do that!" Ruby insisted definiantly. "I want to help people, not be selfish!"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"You simply haven't found something that you would defy your nature for." Theresa replied. "Even though the Hero of Oakvale had not realized that his desire to protect all people was as great as yours yet, Sparrow, it was a part of his nature. He simply needed the right motivation, at times."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"He shouldn't need motivation to help people." Ruby huffed, pouting dramatically. "I'm glad he realized it was the right thing to do, but it should've been obvious from the start."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Perhaps, but he still latched onto that selfish desire to fuel his quest, and with it, he was able to succeed." Theresa gave an ineffectual shrug, before offering Ruby a rare gentle smile. "Unlike you, Sparrow, he did not have such a simple soul. For you, helping people is part of who you are, but he was not so easily driven to that, not at the start. Take pride that you are, but also caution."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"That sort of selflessness can get you killed. Don't be afraid to be selfish."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"But... " Ruby frowned, before looking at the cloak she had been tending to. She didn't really understand the lesson that Theresa was giving, but she'd try her best to do as her caretaker instructed. The very thought of being selfish and not wanting to always help people was weird, but she would </span>
  </em>
  <span>try</span>
  <em>
    <span> to be at least a little more selfish, if only about small things. "Okay."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Good. Now finish up, it's starting to get late. I'm sure that you don't want to miss out on dinner today because you were taking too long with your needlework, right?"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Eep!" Ruby squeaked, realizing that she'd started to neglect her work as she'd gotten caught up talking with the old woman. "I-I'll be done in just a minute!"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>“Just a minute…” Ruby mumbled under her breath, before the loud clearing of a throat drew her out of the clutches of sleep. Eyes widening suddenly as her cheeks warmed, she found Jaune had been nudging her awake as the professor cleared his throat again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So glad you’re ready to join us, Miss Rose!” Professor Port announced loudly to the chuckles of much of the classroom. Ruby felt her cheeks warm brightly as her head ducked down slightly as she tried to avoid everyone’s gazes. Pyrrha and Jaune looked sympathetic, at least, but Blake was rather apathetic. Yang and Nora were holding back laughter, while Ren joined Blake in not reacting. Weiss, on the other hand, looked furious. Weird.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Trouble sleeping, Miss Rose?” The stout man inquired, sounding surprisingly sympathetic. Ruby nodded dully, still feeling rather embarrassed. She had struggled sleeping, more than she’d expected. While the beds were exceptionally soft at Beacon, something about that was really uncomfortable for her. “Well, that’s understandable. Now then! As I was saying, class, a true Huntsman must be honorable! Dependable! Strategic, well-educated, and wise!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was going to ask for volunteers to demonstrate, but instead,” Professor Port returned his gaze to Ruby, who had a pretty good idea of where this was going. “Miss Rose, I would like you to grab your weapon and change into your combat attire, and return here to demonstrate to the class if you have what it takes to be a true Huntress.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes sir.” Ruby nodded mutely. She knew that there wasn’t a point to argue, as she had made the mistake of dozing off in class. Weird that Weiss still looked so angry at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fact that Grimm Studies was held near the lockers made a lot more sense now that she realized they’d be doing the occasional in class demonstration, Ruby able to get there, changed, and back in about ten minutes. Entering the classroom once more, Professor Port was standing beside a large cage housing a Grimm, what looked to be a Boarbatusk. Had his lesson been about them? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah! Miss Rose, welcome back!” The portly professor exclaimed, which caused Ruby to shrink into herself a little as the attention of the class returned to her. At least people weren’t chuckling this time. Ruby approached the stage tentatively, her pace picking up as Professor Port gave a subtle nod in confirmation. “Are you ready to show the class whether you embody the traits of a true Huntress, Miss Rose?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am, sir.” Ruby nodded, conviction clear in her voice despite how quietly she replied. As the professor stepped aside to grab the blunderbuss-axe he called a weapon, she drew her own from her back, deploying Intrepid Rose in her full form. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Very well, then!” Professor Port announced, returning to the cage which housed the Boarbatusk, which was readying itself for a charge. Ruby shifted her feet slightly, left forward, right back, as she readied her stance to meet the eager Grimm. Bringing down his blunderbuss-axe, Professor Port grinned. “Let’s find out!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Taking a deep breath, time seemed to slow for a moment as the cage burst open and the Boarbatusk charged wildly forward. A loud crack accompanied the first pulling of Intrepid Rose’s trigger, Ruby shooting suddenly to the right with the recoil of the shot, just in time to avoid the Grimm’s initial attack. Skidding against the ground, Ruby spun with another shot from her pistol-sword, Intrepid Rose’s blade scraping against the pale bone that armored the beast’s hide. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No luck piercing it, though. Ruby cursed under her breath before launching herself backwards with another shot as the Boarbatusk righted itself for another charge. A clattering was heard as she landed on the professor’s desk, an expression of shock on the man’s face as she managed to keep from tripping.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unfortunately, while Ruby had no intention of harming Professor Port's desk, the Boarbatusk had no such reservations. Letting out a startled squeak, Ruby dived to the side as the Grimm charged into the desk, which splintered apart in a flurry of wooden shards. Scampering to her feet, Ruby fired Intrepid Rose again to gain momentum and get back to leading the fight instead of just reacting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With the help of the recoil from her high-caliber pistol-sword, Ruby soared above the Boarbatusk's next charge, taking a few futile swings against its armor before Intrepid Rose found brief purchase against the swine Grimm's underside as it passed for a moment. Ah, that was where she'd need to target. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The single successful strike she'd made had sent the Boarbatusk staggering, if briefly, though it was clearly not deep enough to kill the beast. That was fine, though, time was all she needed. As the Grimm made for another charge, Ruby focused her Aura into her left palm, and just as the Boarbatusk neared her, she slammed her hand against the ground. Channeling her Will into a burst of fire that exploded all around her, the brief display of her magic sent the beast into the air, where she lined up a shot with Intrepid Rose. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A single 12.7mm round to the unprotected underside of the Boarbatusk was all that was necessary, the Grimm giving a final defiant squeal as it began to fade away from the hole in its stomach. Collapsing her weapon, she returned it to its place on her back, hoping that she hadn't made too grandiose a display of her Will in that brief use of it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well done, Miss Rose!" Professor Port exclaimed cheerfully, not seeming to mind at all the rather destroyed state of the small stage he taught from. "An excellent use of Dust, though if you'd been paying attention in class, I'm sure you could've handled it much sooner."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah." She agreed awkwardly, scratching the back of her head as she gave a nervous grin. Thank the Brothers he had assumed she'd been using Dust, that was the excuse she'd have to go with. Maybe she could say she had Dust on the inside of her gloves? A few members of the Caravan used Dust woven into clothes, so it was hardly impossible. "Sorry about your desk, professor."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Haha! Not a problem! I'll ask Glynda to take care of it!" Professor Port dismissed with a cheery wave, "you may return your things to your locker, Miss Rose. As for the rest of you, that's the end of class today! I look forward to regaling you with more lessons on Wednesday!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The chorus of groans he received for that at least showed Ruby that she wasn't the only person who wasn't a big fan of his teaching style. She didn't stick around to chat before getting changed, only sending a sheepish wave to the rest of her team before disappearing into a cloud of rose petals.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Getting changed again wouldn't have been a problem, but she hadn't really expected to see a bunch of upperclassmen in the lockers as well as herself. Presumably one of the later years had their class with Professor Goodwitch while the first years were with Professor Port. Hiding herself away into one of the stalls to avoid peering eyes, she let out a sigh and got out of her combat attire and back into her school uniform. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This whole public changing thing was going to be a problem if it kept up, but it was easier to be unseen instead of having people ask questions. Especially from Yang. She was happy to have her sister back, but there were some things better left untouched. Ruby shook her head, dismissing the thoughts. She'd work something out.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Apparently, Professor Port wasn't lying about asking Professor Goodwitch to fix his room, as that was the reason she had encountered so many upperclassmen in the lockers. Going by what she'd overheard as she slipped out of the changing area once she was dressed, he had called her in the middle of her class and she'd been forced to dismiss her students about ten minutes early.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It sounded like a regular occurence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The next class was History of Remnant, with Doctor Oobleck. It was further away from the lockers than Grimm Studies and the combat arena, so Ruby assumed that it would at the least not involve fighting Grimm in the classroom. What the class would involve, though, was history, which had Ruby more than a little worried. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While she didn't consider herself by any means ignorant, she also knew that the history she'd been taught in the Caravan, both by Theresa and the other adults, wasn't exactly the sort of stuff they learned in the Kingdoms proper. While she might know obscure facts about the long ruined Old Kingdom, there was no way that would be much help now. Even what she'd been taught of the founding of Vale was likely not something that went exactly in line with the version the Kingdom used.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Entering the classroom, she found the rest of her team and eagerly took the empty seat between Pyrrha and Blake, her partner already reading the same book she'd been looking through during Professor Port's class. The tall redhead gave her a small smile, which Ruby returned. "That was a splendid fight, Ruby." The older girl said, her tone gentle and genuine. "I should've let you know about its weakness."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's okay!" Ruby insisted, shaking her head erratically. "I was able to get it, and I really should've been paying attention in class."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If you're certain." Pyrrha didn't sound convinced, but there wasn't really anything more Ruby could do to reassure her. "I'm sorry that you had trouble sleeping, was it something we did?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No, nothing like that." Ruby reassured, shaking her head once more. "It just had a lot of trouble getting comfortable, which was weird, since the beds were so comfortable."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe you're not used to it?" Blake spoke up, causing the other two girls to jump slightly in surprise. "It's not all that weird, really. If you're really used to a certain way of sleeping, it can take a bit of time to adjust."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, I guess." Ruby mumbled, honestly more surprised that her partner had spoken up than by the answer she'd been given. "Speaking from experience?" At the narrowing of Blake's eyes, she quickly added "if it's okay to ask!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No, that's fine." Blake replied with a sigh. "I used to spend a lot of time… outside of the Kingdoms. So I'm used to sleeping on stuff that's less comfortable than what they've got here. If I hadn't had the time to adjust before coming to Beacon, I'm sure I'd be having the same issue."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh. Well, I'm glad you were able to adjust." Ruby replied, giving her partner a smile. Blake seemed less pleased with the situation, not bothering to return it as she went back to reading. Noticing Pyrrha's concerned look, Ruby shot her a halfhearted smile. "I'm sure that things will be fine. We all just need an adjustment period."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I suppose." Pyrrha's tone was clearly worrying, but Ruby was confident that she was right. Blake was nice, in the forest, but just like with her own sleeping habits, her partner was going to have to adjust to their team. They all were, really. "Ready for class?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I think so!" Ruby chirped, smiling enthusiastically despite her own nervousness about how far behind she might be. "I'm sure it'll be different than what I'm used to, but I can get it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't be afraid to ask for help if you need to." Pyrrha cautioned, before offering a gentle smile again. "I've already offered to Jaune, so I might as well to you: if you ever need any tutoring, I'm happy to help."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! Really? Sure." Ruby gave a grateful nod. Having someone else's perspective would probably help a whole ton, especially if things were as different to what she'd been taught as she feared. "If I can ever help you with something, don't be afraid to ask either, okay?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll keep that in mind." Pyrrha replied, before adjusting the paper in front of her. "It looks like the teacher is getting here, but let me know after class if you need any help at all."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>True to what Pyrrha said, the professor was indeed here, and he was particularly intimidating. Unlike Professor Port, who at least spoke </span>
  <em>
    <span>clearly</span>
  </em>
  <span> even if his voice was a bit droning at times, Doctor Oobleck spoke at a lightning speed matched only by the way he moved around the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Greetings class! I am Doctor Oobleck, and I will be teaching you the history of Remnant. Your syllabus has been sent to your scrolls, please get out your books and turn to page five." The words spilled out of his mouth at what seemed like mach speed. They had books? Why didn't anyone tell Ruby? Oh, thank goodness Pyrrha seemed to be willing to share, giving Ruby a gentle smile. "Today we will be discussing the oldest of the Four Kingdoms! Would anyone like to tell me what that is?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To Ruby's surprise, Pyrrha's hand shot up, which Doctor Oobleck seemed to notice. "Ah, yes, Miss Nikos. I suppose that such an exceptional student would have the answer I'm looking for. Please, continue."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The oldest of the Four Kingdoms is Mistral, founded in 2432 B.V.T., by Emperor Takehiro when he united the tribes of Eastern Anima." Pyrrha replied, her voice rather monotonous. The ever so slight decline of her lip into a frown gave Ruby the impression that the taller redhead hadn't really been looking for a compliment from their teacher like that. "That said, the current dynasty has only been around for some seven hundred years, long after the founding of both Vale and Vacuo."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Very precise, Miss Nikos. Thank you." Doctor Oobleck nodded furiously, before looking at the rest of the students seated. "Well, you should be writing this down! Yes, as Miss Nikos stated, the oldest of the Four Kingdoms is Mistral, with a history going back just beyond two thousand five hundred years. Can anyone name me the only known Kingdom that dates that far back that is now defunct? No? Its name is still used today, for the city built in its place: Argus."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Though the city of Argus shares its name, little is known of the Kingdom that once preceded it other than that much of it sank in a great earthquake, and refugees came to Mistral in droves, leading to the culture we know of today." Doctor Oobleck continued on at lightning speed, the only students Ruby could tell were able to follow along at all being Pyrrha and Weiss. "Despite extensive efforts to keep records intact, the Mistrali Civil War some seven hundred and twenty years ago resulted in the loss of much of the Kingdom's accurate history, and now all we have remaining are stories and legends, which may hold more truth than fiction, if you know where to look." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oobleck continued to blaze through the lesson, Ruby struggling to follow along. She would definitely have to ask Pyrrha for help with this - how could she keep up with him like that - at least until Ruby was able to adjust to the way their teacher spat out words at such a rapid pace. From the looks of things, Jaune wasn't doing all that much better, while Blake wasn't even paying any attention at the moment; though Ruby was able to notice the slightest shifting in the secret Faunus' bow, indicating that she might be listening more intently than she first let on.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Looking over at Pyrrha's notes, it looked as though the lesson had continued on to the intricacies of what historians believed the dynamic between ancient Argus and Mistral, both the conflicts over disputed territory and the various trade agreements that helped solidify the oldest of the Four Kingdoms during its infancy. It was important stuff, and interesting to say the least, but Ruby felt like they'd blown past that whole wandering monk who helped the first emperor establish order. Maybe there just wasn't a lot of information on him, but he seemed like an important enough man that there'd be at least some surviving myths about him. Weird.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Soon enough, it had come to an end, and Ruby felt as though she'd barely absorbed anything at all. As everyone started rising from their seats, Ruby tried to remember what was next on the schedule for the day. Lunch, and then a free period. That seemed like as good a time as any to speak with Yang, especially about getting something she could wear outside of her combat gear or that nightgown she'd brought along. Why she'd brought it along when it had never felt quite the right fight to her, Ruby wasn't sure. Poor foresight, she supposed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shuffling out of the classroom, she stuck close to her teammates, just as most of the students seemed to be doing, only a few breaking away from their groups to try chatting up Weiss or that large boy, Cardamom or something? The Atlesian didn't seem all that interested in dealing with the various people making attempts to address her, but wow was Cardamom preening from every person talking to him. No wonder he looked like such a jerkwad.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Do you think you'll need any help, Ruby?" Pyrrha spoke up, drawing the shorter girl from her people watching with a brief squeak. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, um, yeah." She admitted, Ruby ducking her head slightly in shame. "I thought I'd be fine but he just spoke so darn fast! How could you keep up with him?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, I have a lot of experience with fast talking professors like that." Pyrrha waved dismissively, as though she hadn't done something spectacular at all, when she definitely had. "I'm sure you'll get used to it soon, and until then, I'm happy to help."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks, Pyrrha." Ruby chirped, smiling widely at the older girl. It was nice to have someone other than Yang looking out for her like this. No offense to Jaune, but he seemed just as lost as she was, or she was sure he'd offer to help, too. "Let's hurry up, I want to see what they've got on the menu!"</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Collecting lunch wasn't too much of a hassle, though Cardamom or whatever his name is had knocked into Jaune, forcing the blonde to return to the line for food after losing his tray. Ruby would've been quick to dismiss it as accidental had the larger boy not laughed as he walked away, but Jaune seemed determined not to press the issue. Hopefully it wouldn't be a big problem, but Ruby was going to keep an eye open for if the leader of Team Cardinal was causing more problems.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once Team Rainbow had gotten situated at their table, Team Sylvan was quick to join them, Weiss rather rudely taking the seat Pyrrha had been trying to save for her partner - poor girl really seemed to have trouble saying no, didn't she? While Nora and Ren sat across from Pyrrha and Weiss, Yang remained standing, looking unexpectedly nervous. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, uh, Ruby." Yang started, before clearing her throat and inhaling slowly. "Do you want to come eat lunch with me outside? We could have some… sisterly bonding."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, um," Ruby looked over to Pyrrha, who gave about as comfortable a nod as possible while trying to not to look as though she wasn't paying attention to Weiss. "Sure. That should be fine!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Great!" Yang sounded a little more grateful than necessary, but Ruby didn't blame her. This who situation was really weird and it wasn't like they could just flip a switch and suddenly be as close as sisters could be. "I know a great spot, follow me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mouthing a silent apology to Pyrrha, Ruby stood up and followed her sister, giving Blake the slightest of nods, not that the hidden Faunus saw it with her nose deep in a book. Ruby was going to have to work on getting her partner out of the little box she'd enclosed herself in. Was it racist to call it that? Oh gosh Ruby really hoped it wasn't. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ta-dah! Here we are!" Yang cheerfully exclaimed, having calmed down a good bit now that she'd actually asked Ruby to have a lunch with just the two of them. That was nice to see, Ruby really liked seeing her sister confident and happy, not nervous. The place Yang had selected was rather nice, with a wooden circular table and four metal chairs that looked as though they'd seen their fair share of bad weather. "I figured it would be nice to be away from prying ears!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, that's probably a good idea." Ruby agreed with a sheepish nod. Taking a seat across from her sister, the redhead put down her plate, which held a single sandwich and a ridiculously high pile of cookies. "So, um, anything you want to talk about in particular?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, first things first," uh oh. That sounded a lot like Yang had been planning to talk about something for at least a little bit. "How did you sleep?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I, um, it was an… experience." Ruby chuckled awkwardly, not expecting such a simple question. "I actually woke up on the floor, of all places! Blake said it's because I probably wasn't used to sleeping on this sort of mattress. Back ho- back in the Caravan, my bed was basically a wooden board covered in blankets and the occasional fur. We didn't have enough of that fancy stuff for everyone to have one, and I was plenty comfortable as I was."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hadn't meant to almost say home, even if she did consider the Caravan her home. She was afraid Yang wouldn't understand why she considered it home, and just as she'd feared, for a moment her sister's jovial expression darkened. The dower mood on her sister's face faded into an understanding smile, much to Ruby's relief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uncle Qrow complains about the same thing sometimes. Y-you probably don't remember him, but he used to be on the road a whole lot for Huntsmen work - still is, really - and is really used to camping outside." Yang gave a somewhat hollow chuckle, despite clearly doing her best to not be bothered by Ruby's slip up. "It makes me wonder if he was raised outside of the Kingdoms sometimes, but he'd never admit to anything. Better to keep his background "mysterious," according to him."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I'm</span>
  </em>
  <span> used to camping outside." Ruby quickly replied, glad her sister had given her an angle to work from. Sitting around trying to awkwardly talk around the fact that Ruby felt more at home with a group of people Yang had never met than at a house she couldn't even remember clearly wasn't the best bonding activity she could think of, but talking was helping a little. She wanted to make things better. She really wanted a sister, sort of like Kiera, but also different. "I used to go on lots of excursions with my mentor, so I got lots of experience camping."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, that's good. Maybe you can even give me a few pointers, right?" Yang replied with a cheerful grin, thankfully looking to be passed Ruby's earlier error. "So, um, were you able to sort out your whole… nightwear situation?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hearing Yang try to say it so delicately elicited a small giggle from Ruby, though her face became downcast as she thought about it. "I, um… it's weird, wearing something like that around the others." She said, barely above a whisper. There was a shame to it, she could admit to herself, that she wasn't able to just go with the flow as the rest of her team had, but she really wasn't comfortable with it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We'll figure something out." Yang reassured her, giving Ruby an encouraging smile. "If need be, you can always borrow something of mine, and we can go over the weekend to get something more substantial than a few hand me downs."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You really don't mind?" Ruby was surprised by her sister's willingness to share, even more as Yang shook her head in affirmation. Ruby disappeared in a cloud of petals, reappearing just so she could wrap her arms tightly around her big sister in the tightest hug she could give, a wide smile on her face. "Thanks, Yang!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah." The blonde's voice had gone soft as her big sister slowly returned the hug, seeming maybe a bit nervous. Had she come on too strong with the hug? She had always dreamed of reuniting with her sister but actually doing it was hard! What was okay and what wasn't? Yang patted her back a few times, and the embrace loosened. "You're pretty strong, you know that? We'll have to go a round or two sometime, see where you are." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If you want." Ruby did her best to sound confident. It wasn't that she didn't feel at all confident, but she really wanted to not rely on her Will while at Beacon, this was a good chance to train in her physical skills more; it certainly didn't help that she wasn't sure she could really disguise the few powers she'd learned under Theresa, the lightning was situational and she couldn't exactly count on a thunderstorm </span>
  <em>
    <span>inside</span>
  </em>
  <span> a combat arena. She'd have to investigate more in the option of disguising her gloves as some sort of Dust container. "How, uh, how are things with your team?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, well, it's been… interesting." Yang said with a shrug, giving Ruby an awkward smile. "Weiss is still a bit haughty, but she's preoccupied with trying to reign in Nora, at least. Ren's nice. Polite about going to the bathroom while we change. How's that going for you guys?" Yang noticed the wide-eyed, embarrassed look on Ruby's face, and lilac eyes narrowed slightly. "Jaune didn't give you any trouble, did he?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No! No. Nothing like that!" Ruby was quick to blurt out, not wanting her sister to take out any aggression born from misunderstandings on the boy. "I just… I didn't change out of my combat gear last night, I just went straight to bed. I know that's bad, I just… get nervous."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, it's okay." Yang insisted, gently patting Ruby's shoulder. The younger girl frowned, but her sister shook her head, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "It'll be fine. We'll get you something today. Now you should be sure to have a talk with your team today, okay? Set some good boundaries."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, okay." Ruby pouted slightly in reluctance, but she knew that Yang had the right idea. There was no way things would get better if she didn't actually work to improve the situation. "I should probably finish my food before it gets icky. Do you want a cookie?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Me? Nah." Yang waved dismissively as Ruby returned to her seat. "It may not look it but I try to keep a pretty strict diet when it comes to eating, and it's not a cheat day. No way I'm going to be a loaded gun if I'm sloppy." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if to accentuate this, her sister flexed her arms, muscles visible even under their uniform's jacket. Ruby giggled in response, which elicited a playful pout from Yang, before the older girl stuck her tongue out teasingly and returned to her own meal. The two remained outside for the rest of the lunch period, and much of the free period that followed, chatting about little things to pass the time and get more familiar with one another. Had Ruby ever had any crushes? No. Had Yang? Yes, several, but she was quick to point out only on women. Were strawberries still Ruby's favorite food? Of course, though blackberries were a close second! It was nice, getting to just relax and learn more about her sister as they traded questions. They'd have to make a habit of this.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Dust Science was… difficult, to say the least. Ruby wasn't actually too bad at some of it, but the numbers really made her head spin. The professor, one Dusk River, was a somewhat stern Faunus woman who reminded Ruby a little of Professor Goodwitch. She stood at about six feet tall, maybe an inch shorter, with greying hair that looked to have once been a dull blue color, and pale blue scales that dotted her cheeks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ruby had done her best to get through the class, but it became quick that she was going to need help from Pyrrha when it came to the actual numbers involved. Back at the Caravan, sometimes she’d measure, but usually she just ground the fire and gravity crystals and made bullets with them - she knew </span>
  <em>
    <span>how</span>
  </em>
  <span> to safely handle the Dust, but not how to do any complex mixtures with it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thankfully, class did end eventually, even if that hour and a half felt like an eternity. The sun was already starting to set as Team Rainbow made their way to the cafeteria alongside many of the students from Professor River’s class, and Ruby could spot other students from around the campus, upperclassmen no doubt, also making their way there. It was going to be crowded, wasn’t it? Maybe she ought to invest in some cooking things for their dorm, Kiera’s mom had always insisted that food someone you knew cooked was always better. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ruby frowned a little at the thought of her friend, and her mother. Thank the Brothers Jaune seemed to have noticed, the lanky blonde quick to speak up the moment her face turned downcast. "So, Ruby, how are you doing? We haven't really talked much today."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, um, I'm doing okay." Ruby hastily replied, offering him a smile. "Classes were a bit more than I was expecting, though. Did you guys really go through all that sort of stuff normally?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I mean, school back in Domremy wasn't quite so fast paced." Jaune said with a shrug, before looking over at Pyrrha. "How about you, Pyrrha? What were classes like for you before coming to Beacon?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Me?" Pyrrha seemed a little surprised to be pulled into the conversation, though she was grateful for it. "Class at Sanctum was more… rigid than that. We were all at individual desks, and the classrooms were completely flat, so seeing the teacher could be a challenge at times. That said, I think the biggest difference is that we weren't so encouraged to work together as we are here."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, we didn't have </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> like this in the Caravan." Ruby sighed with a lighthearted pout. "We focused on more practical stuff for the most part. Like… I know how to sew really well! And I can make my own Dust bullets, but there's no way I know all the weird number stuff with mixtures and all that. The only numbers I know are for making weapons, and I had to learn that on my own!" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You taught yourself how to smith a mecha-shift weapon?" Pyrrha sounded impressed, which was weird, but it really wasn't all </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> cool. Ruby just liked weapons a lot, so she learned how to make them! "That's incredible, Ruby. Even at Combat Schools where we design our weapons, we get a lot of help from our teachers."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Aw, shucks, it's not all that cool." Ruby mumbled, ducking down slightly as she felt her cheeks warm up. "I bet you know all kinds of stuff that I wish I'd gotten to learn! What about you, Blake, was class weird for you, too?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"...No." The concealed Faunus replied dryly, before the staring eyes of the rest of Team Rainbow drew out a sigh. "Even though we didn't live in the Kingdoms, the people I lived with made sure all of us were up to snuff in this kind of stuff, and I've always liked reading, so it was easy to get an edge in the areas we didn't touch on."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was pretty clear Blake didn't want to elaborate more, so Ruby decided to move the discussion on before they alienated her partner any further. It was nice she'd opened up a little, at least. She'd have to give a try in getting her out of her shell later. "What about you two? Do you like to read?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I, uh, I went to the library a lot with my sister, Indigo, if you remember her at all, but not really." Jaune scratched at the back of his neck sheepishly. "Reading never really was a hobby, just kind of something I had to do sometimes. I liked listening to stories more than reading them."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Reading was one of the few things that I was able to do with any frequency during tournament season." Pyrrha replied, a soft smile on her face. "It's nice to be able to spend some time just relaxed with a good book, but I'd like to explore some other hobbies as well, now that I don't have to worry about tournaments."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sounds like Jaune might be the odd one out if we ever have a reading party." Ruby chuckled, sending him a smile as he pouted ineffectually. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's fine. I'll read my comics and they'll be way more cool." He insisted, though it was clear from his tone he wasn't actually offended.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Comics?" Ruby raised an eyebrow. She… she knew what they were, sort of, but at the same time, it was kind of unfamiliar to her. She'd not read anything like that as a kid, just whatever books the Caravan could get its hands on or she could buy when they'd pass through towns and cities. "You'll have to show me sometime." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll take you up on that." Jaune agreed, looking a little more happy at the chance to be included. Ruby could've sworn she'd heard her partner audibly scoff at the idea, but when she peeked over, Blake was as plain faced as ever. "I hope dinner is good, I really didn't get a very good lunch."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sorry about that." Pyrrha spoke up, though Ruby wasn't sure why the taller redhead was apologizing. Neither was Jaune, from the baffled look on his face. "I should've offered to share more since there wasn't much to choose from by the time you got back through the line."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What? Naw, you were fine, Pyrrha." Jaune waved dismissively. "It was my fault for bumping into that guy."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What? No it wasn't." Ruby piped in, frowning. Surely Jaune hadn't really thought Cardamom bumping into him was an accident? "He laughed, Jaune. He totally meant to knock the tray out of your hands."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Nah, that's crazy." Jaune insisted, much to Ruby's dismay, and from the looks of it, Pyrrha's as well. "It's the first day of classes, I'm sure it was an accident. Just watch, I bet we'll be great friends by the end of the month."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ruby wasn't so sure of that. In fact, if she had any lien on her person, she'd have bet against that very idea. Unfortunately, it looked as though Jaune was content with pretending nothing was at all wrong, and there wouldn't likely be anything she could do to persuade him otherwise. Sharing a worried look with Pyrrha, she decided that she'd not press on the issue for now, but if things got worse, she'd not let it slide.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they arrived at the cafeteria, they quickly met up with Team Sylvan, who they had dinner with. Weiss tried to sit beside Pyrrha again, but Jaune took the spot she'd been aiming for, with Pyrrha sitting on the end so there was only one seat available. Ruby made sure to stick beside Jaune when they were on their way back from grabbing food, just in case his "totally going to be great friends" decided to knock his tray to the ground again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luckily, Cardamom or whatever his name was had the decency not to try after she gave him a rather severe leer, the giant of a boy just scoffing on going the other direction. Jerk. Dinner was a subdued affair, though Nora did her best to liven it up with the most enthralling tall tales about encounters she'd had with Grimm alongside Ren. While most certainly false, they had succeeded in enrapturing Jaune, Yang, and Ruby, who eagerly listened along despite Ren's numerous attempts to downplay the events of the stories. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All in all, it was a pretty good day. The only thing left was going back to their rooms, which meant Ruby was finally going to have to work up the nerve to discuss the arrangements of her team's dorm. Hopefully it would at least go smoothly.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Entering their dorm room, Ruby fiddled with the edge of her cloak nervously as she lingered in the doorway while everyone else was approaching their own little areas. The room still felt a bit too crowded, and she'd admittedly failed to think of a good solution that wouldn't involve drastically changing the layout. Maybe she could ask for suggestions after talking with them about setting up some rules for the mornings and evenings. Hopefully they'd be okay with her wanting to do that, she didn't want to inconvenience them or anything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Everything okay?" It was Jaune that spoke up first, drawing Ruby's attention away from her own thoughts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I, um," Ruby clenched her hands lightly, trying to work up the confidence to speak. "Do you guys mind if we set up some rules, maybe?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What did you have in mind?" Pyrrha asked, sitting down on her bed, a small smile on her face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm, um, I'm not super comfortable getting changed in here." Ruby admitted, before hastily tacking on "it's not Jaune's fault or anything! I just don't like getting changed in front of people."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, why don't we just get changed in the bathroom?" Jaune suggested, offering a sympathetic smile. "I wasn't really planning on getting changed in front of you guys anyway, I know that'd be weird, but we can all just take turns if it makes you more comfortable."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh. Wait, that was a lot easier than she'd thought. She was stressing way too much about something simple again, wasn't she? "Yeah. That'd work." Ruby nodded with a sheepish smile. "I don't know why I thought that it'd be a big deal to ask."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sometimes we overthink things when it's about something that makes us uncomfortable." Pyrrha said softly, giving Ruby a reassuring smile. "There's no shame in that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, I guess." Ruby mumbled in agreement. She still felt like she'd been acting silly. "Is that fine with you, Blake?" The silent affirmative nod from the brunette was good enough for her. "Okay! Thanks, you guys."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"There's no need to thank us!" Jaune waved dismissively, giving Ruby a wide smile. "This is important stuff we need to work out. Is there anything else you wanted to chat about?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! Well, maybe." Ruby nodded, walking over to her bed. "We don't have a lot of room, so I was wondering if anyone had suggestions. We can't exactly throw out some of the beds or anything."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, maybe we could?" Jaune suggested, before he dipped his head awkwardly as Ruby stared blankly at him, joined by a curious stare Pyrrha. "Right, um, what I mean is that we could stack them. Like bunk beds!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Bunk beds?" She hadn't really considered that, but now that she was thinking of it. "Hmm, do we have things to make them with, though?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sure we can ask for supplies." Pyrrha suggested.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And if not, I've got plenty of books to stack." Jaune and Pyrrha joined Ruby in looking at Blake with wide eyes for that suggestion. "What? So long as we're careful, I'm sure we could stack the beds with books."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's… quite unconventional, Blake." The tall redhead noted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, well, I've had a very unconventional life." The secret Faunus retorted, rolling her eyes a little. "It's just a suggestion, we can always look into requisitioning proper materials."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We'll figure it out tomorrow." Ruby decided, shooting her partner a grateful smile. It was nice that Blake had even participated at all, let alone actually make a potentially viable suggestion - though Ruby would definitely look into safer methods first. "Maybe Professor Goodwitch will be able to help me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If you're sure." Jaune sounded a little doubtful of her suggestion to talk to the Deputy Headmaster. Given how intimidating the professor's presence could be, she could hardly blame Jaune for feeling uncertain. "I guess we'll find out tomorrow."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yep!" Ruby nodded cheerfully, sitting down on her bed and taking the lupine amulet from her pack. Brushing her thumb against it, she frowned slightly. It hadn't even been a week since she left the Caravan to come to Beacon. No matter how nice it was to have Yang here, or how great her team was, she still missed her home. Her friends and not-quite-family. Standing up abruptly, she tried to wave off the confused look on Pyrrha's face with a halfhearted smile. "I'll be right back, okay?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, okay. Is something wrong?" The tall girl asked, not having been swayed by Ruby's attempt to brush away her concerns.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No, nothing." Ruby shook her head dismissively. "I just want to take a little walk. I won't be long."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, um, we'll get started on changing, then." Pyrrha offered with an uncertain smile. "Have a good walk!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks!" Ruby did her best to inject cheer into her voice before she practically sprinted out the door, trying to avoid any further conversation if possible. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She quickly made her way through the dorms and onto the roof, where she took a seat and looked up at the sky. Despite the dim light of the CCT tower that was in the heart of the academy, Ruby was still able to make out a few stars. It wasn't as beautiful as it might be in the wilds outside Kingdom walls, but it was nice. A frown marred her face as she thought back to the last time she was watching the stars, with Kiera. Was she mad at Ruby, for choosing to leave? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn't like Ruby had wanted this, she would've been perfectly content remaining in the Caravan - Theresa had asked her to go, and everyone knew a request from Theresa may as well be an order! But… if she hadn't come to Beacon, she wouldn't have met her sister, Yang. She wouldn't have found Jaune again, the blonde boy from Domremy somehow able to get into Beacon by some miracle. And Pyrrha! While Ruby didn't know her very well, she seemed so nice and always willing to help. Even Blake had Ruby's interest, even if the concealed Faunus was as isolated as Weiss was haughty.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She liked it here, if begrudgingly. It was such a change of pace, but not in a bad way, so why did she feel so terrible about it? This was just her mission. A mission that would last for four years. Four whole years of friendships, of having her </span>
  <em>
    <span>actual </span>
  </em>
  <span>sister at her side. She had promised Kiera that she wouldn't forget the Caravan, that it was always going to be her home, but… she really liked it here. It was early, yes, but she felt like things could really be wonderful.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ruby brought her knees to her chest with a frown, looking away from the sky. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey there!" Ruby let out a startled squeak as she stumbled forwards, turning around to find one Nora Valkyrie standing in the doorway, somehow still as hyperactive as ever. "What's up?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"H-hello, Nora." Ruby mumbled sheepishly, a bit embarrassed that she'd let the older girl sneak up on her like that. "Did you need something?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmm… nah!" Nora dismissed with a grin, squatting down beside Ruby. "I wanted to know what </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> need."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What?" Ruby squawked out indignantly, "I don't need anything!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh huh." Nora said, clearly not believing a word that Ruby was saying. Much to the younger girl's surprise, though, Nora didn't press her on it, simply sitting there in silence with a smile on her face, looking at the various buildings that made up Beacon's campus in the dim emerald light. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They remained in silence for several minutes, Nora never prodding or pressing Ruby to speak, before the younger girl finally broke. "I'm scared." She admitted, "I love my home with the Caravan, but I'm scared I might find a new home, here. I don't want to betray the people who raised me like that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're thinking about it all wrong." Nora said plainly, as though it was as clear as day what Ruby had done incorrectly. "Home isn't a single place, it isn't somewhere you live."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ruby looked at Nora in confusion, the older girl taking the hint and continuing unabated. "Ren and I… we were on our own for a long time - most of our lives, really. We've watched each other's backs for almost as long as I can remember, and if there's one thing I've learned from that more than anything else, it's that home isn't a place. Home is the people you care about, it's being beside the people you love and would do anything for, and it's about holding them in your thoughts when you're apart. So long as you care about them, you'll always have a home at their side, and they'll have a home at yours."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ren and I got lucky, we were taken in by the Church of Light north of Vale. We were found by a missionary and taken there, given a chance to have some semblance of a normal life." Nora looked a little sad, despite the smile on her face. "Even if we hadn't, though. Even if we'd just been the two of us on our own forever, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>that we would still be at each other's side, because it's Ren that I care about, not fancy churches or myths or any of that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe you haven't found your Ren, but that doesn't mean the bonds you have with the people back in your Caravan don't exist." Nora insisted, giving Ruby a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I'm sure that no matter what, they'd welcome you back at their side, just like you'd welcome them. Maybe you'll grow distant over time, but that never has to mean that it's over. Just have a little faith, okay? That's always what the Abbot told me, but I'm pretty sure he didn't mean it that way."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ruby chuckled at Nora's wink, shoving the older girl playfully. "Thanks." She mumbled shyly, feeling a bit better. "So how come you're out of your room?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Me?" Nora chuckled sheepishly. "Weiss was a little mad that I broke the fan by swinging from it. I figured she might need a little space to air out!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You didn't!" Ruby gleefully shouted, not even bothering to try holding back her laughter. "What on Remnant inspired you to swing from the ceiling fan?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I was bored!" Nora shrugged, nonplussed. "Weiss was taking forever in the bathroom with all her silly hair stuff, and I wanted to hang out!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Somehow, I get the impression that Yang's going to have a lot of fun on your team." Ruby noted with a chuckle. "I hope I can with my team." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sure you can! Just have a little faith, remember!" As if to emphasize the point, Nora poked Ruby in the forehead, earning an indignant pout from the younger redhead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks Nora." Ruby said again, smiling at the older girl. "I'm going to get back to my room, I'll see you later."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She might not be totally convinced by Nora's advice, but it definitely helped a bit. Maybe she could come to terms with having two "homes," not just one. It sounded like a nice idea.</span>
</p>
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